Love At First Sight
by bookworm-gurl
Summary: Catherine & Sara have just met, and the look in their eyes reads passion...its love at first sight, and they will do anything to keep their love alive, and as one...
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

** **I have made some editorial changes to this story that was originally posted many moons ago. Now that I have a bit of spare time I thought I'd update the old with some new...esp since I have more practice at the romantic relationship side between two females (my RE fanfics) ** **

BoOkWoRm-GuRl

* * *

**Love at First Sight**

**Chapter One**

Catherine slammed her locker shut and plopped herself down on the metal bench that ran the length of the locker room. Each CSI in the building had their own assigned locker yet, at the moment, Catherine was the only CSI using it. It used to be her, the only female investigator on the graveyard shift and she hated it. She hated it more than Brussels sprouts or how her ex husband Eddie pretends to be considerate and really is just stringing their eight year old daughter Lindsey around. They, meaning the Las Vegas Crime Lab's graveyard shift. always treated her differently. Mostly it was because she wasn't _one of the guys_ and it pissed her off to the extent that she pretty much begged, badgered and pestered Jim Brass, her supervisor and hard ass cop, to look into hiring another female. The men wouldn't allow her do certain things at Crime Scene's because they were afraid that she would _break a nail, _ or afraid that she would get sick at the bloated bodies in Lake Mead or cry uncontrollably if an infant died. They refused to leave her alone at a Crime Scene, afraid she would be kidnapped, or attacked even though she had a gun and knew how to use it. Catherine pretty much considered herself an outsider to everyone else at the Crime Lab except for Gil Grissom, the only other senior CSI on the graveyard shift and resident Entomologist. If there was anyone who was more of an outside than Catherine, it was Grissom the bug guy. Still, the fact that they were such outsiders made them the best of friends, but that still did not change the ratio of males to females that worked in this office. That was of course until Holly Gribbs came to the Crime Lab.

Having Holly around was like a breath of fresh air. It was someone else Catherine could confide in because she too was a female and she too was subjected to the ridicule and sexist remarks that came along with having a vagina instead of a dick in the Police station. Women had to earn their keep, and to Catherine that meant following orders and dealing with the shit that got swung at her in every which direction on a daily basis. Sadly, Catherine's hopes for a female companion quickly left when on her first night with the LVPD Crime Lab Holly was shot at a Crime Scene. It wasn't the fact that she was a woman, or the fact that she couldn't hold her own. It was the fault of Warrick Brown, a man on a mission to beat his best friend Nick Stokes at breaking 100 cases and becoming a CSI level 3. That and his gambling problem. If he was doing what he was supposed to do Holly would have been okay. When she heard news of Holly's misfortunes Catherine got a reality check. It wasn't that they didn't trust her or didn't doubt her capabilities as a cop or a woman with a gun. It was the fact that they couldn't handle this job without her.

She sat on the metal bench, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall as she remembered the first time she laid eyes on Holly. She was at a confectionery store down on Fremont Street and her voice crackled across the police airwaves requesting backup. The strain in her voice set off alarm bells in Catherine's head that this woman was in danger, apparently the clerk was brandishing a firearm in poor Holly's face and intervening in her actually doing her job to catch the people that robbed her. Catherine responded to the call and hauled ass to her location, sirens blazing on her black Tahoe as adrenaline was pumping through her veins, ready for some excitement on this dull Wednesday evening. She walked inside seeing the teller waving a gun in Holly's face as she unholstered her own gun, her eyes never leaving the middle ages lady standing behind the counter looking like she came from a 80's sitcom based on her attire. The woman dropped her gun thinking that she was being robbed all over again as Catherine took it off the counter and handed it over to Holly.

That was the first time Catherine could Holly's beautiful brown eyes. They were full of fear at the moment, never experiencing someone drawing a weapon on her before. When they locked eyes for a brief moment she could see that Holly was young, smart, and full of passion. Catherine tried to stay concentrated on the task at hand and told the woman that she could come by the station tomorrow and pick up her gun if she wanted it back. When the woman refuted saying that she anted them to figure out who robbed them Catherine scoughed and pretty much told her that if she wanted to know so bad she wouldn't have pulled a gun on a criminalist. With that she and Holly left the confectionery store allowing both of them the breath a little easier.

Catherine could not help imagining Holly's stunning complexion and slim hourglass figure touching her, caressing her. Normally those thoughts would not enter her mind until they have at least talked to one another, been around each other and she was able to gauge exactly how Holly felt in that department. However, that night those thoughts were the only ones racing through Catherine's brain. She felt that Holly would be the one to express her homosexuality to, never admitting it to anyone at the lab. They had enough to gawk and comment about besides her being a lesbian. Catherine was wrong however, and deep down inside she wanted to break down into tears. She wanted to cry away all the pain she had been put though by men, cry away all the times she had tried and failed to sexually please another woman, and finally cry away her life and start over again from scratch. Catherine saw Holly as her salvation and as quickly as she entered her life she was pulled back.

When the news of Holly's death traveled throughout the lab it spread like wild fire. It did not take long for the blonde to catch wind especially when Jim Brass entered the break room looking as if he just rolled out of bed. They were all celebrating Nick getting his CSI Level 3 badge solving the ever alluding trick roll calls that had been frequently happening on the Las Vegas Strip. She was excited for her team mate and they were about to celebrate when the news was dropped on them like a ton of bricks. Even though she and Holly were no where close to being lovers she still considered her to be a friend. Grissom had given the case to Nick at first saying that he had no personal connection to the victim and could look at is logically and without bias. Catherine was not going to let anyone investigate this murder but her, no matter how personal she was going to make it. Her depressive thoughts and sulking ended once it was pronounced that Holly died on the operating table. Now she was to speak for the victim, and solve this case not only to make the LVPD look good to the public but for her own piece of mind.

When Catherine thought that everything could not get any better and instead and just worse, Sara Sidle, a colleague of Grissom's from San Fransisco stepped into the evidence locker. She was doing the IA investigation for the holly case, Warrick Brown was being placed under the microscope, his irresponsible actions were because of his gambling habit, it was no secret around the lab, but Sara was a bloodhound and she would get to the bottom of it, no matter how many people she needs to crush. To Catherine however, Sara's presence in the dark evidence locker, her body immersed in the glow of the hall was as if she was a gift from Holly up in Heaven.

The first thing that popped into Catherine's head at the sight of the striking brunette wasn't _'I wonder how good she is in bed'_ or '_I wonder if she is into woman the same way as me?'. _Instead it was, '_she's here to take away my Holly_' and Catherine couldn't let that happen, she wouldn't let Holly slip though her finger's that easily. Not without putting up a fair fight. So much guilt and remorse clung to her shoulders. She was the one responsible for Holly going to that scene. If it wasn't for their coffee break at the near by cafe after rescuing her from that crazy convenience store owner.

What she said to her at the coffeehouse...

_...At least until your solve your first, and if you don't feel like King Kong on cocaine then you can quit..._

Those words raced through her mind over and over again. They were the words that kept her at this job. If she didn't give out that little piece of 'advice' then Holly would probably still be walking around and doing something that she actually loved with her life. She wanted out, she was only a CSI because her mother was in Patrol and the whole family wore a badge. It was a great honour for her to be apart of the Police department for big, bad Sin City, but that was not her dream. Catherine didn't have the audacity to actually ask Holly what she wanted to do, or to engage in a conversation. No, instead they got interrupted by a call over the scanner of a possible 419 that was three blocks away. Catherine, being the one closest had to take the call. Holly understood and she said she was going back to the lab to see what Grissom had for her and that was the end of their interaction. It was the last time she saw her beautiful smile and dark brown eyes. Catherine felt like it was her mistake that killed her. Even though she wasn't the person who pulled the trigger or the person who left her at the scene all alone. If she had just kept her big mouth shut she wouldn't be investigating her death and the only way for her to try and redeem herself is to solve this case for Holly.

Catherine's thoughts got interrupted when Sara asked with her sweet soothing voice, "_Do you know where I can find Catherine Willows?"_

Catherine looked up, away from her laptop and straight into her brown eyes. At that moment she could tell that Sara was the one, she was the one that Catherine had been looking for, for years. Sara was the answer to Catherine's prayers and she had Holly to thank for it. She decided to play hard to get, just encase she was wrong about her instinct.

Catherine replied with the cocky remark of, "_She's in the field"_ hoping that would throw her off course. It didn't seem to phase her one bit.

Instead, Catherine could catch a glint of Sara already beginning to undress her with her wondering eyes. No words needed to be exchanged in those few seconds as Sara's body language was sending all the right signal loud and clear. Catherine wanted to blush and return with some signals of her own but instead she realized the young brunette was to smart to fall for her smart-ass remark and instead she just smiled trying to cover her lesbian signals.

"Oh, well uh. Sorry I-" Sara mumbled a blush was creeping across her cheeks. It was the first time in a long time someone had made her a loss for words.

Right then, at that exact moment they knew they were made for each other. Instead of getting no work accomplished from fighting over whom was going to take over the case they had made a mutual agreement to work together. It was the first time since being hired at the Crime Lab that Catherine had worked so close to another woman. It was going to be a little awkward at times since there were long silences, filled with dirty, sexual thoughts that both wanted to act upon one another but couldn't in the confines of the Lab. She believed this was her second chance at picking up the pieces of her broken love life and gluing them back together. She could now maybe have someone to share her fantasies with, someone that she could share her intimate feelings and listen to someone else's fantasies and feelings. Catherine could get the sense of feeling whole again; it was like a part of her body was missing for the past two years, and Sara was the one the put her back together.

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T.B.C.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Catherine knew the brunette was ex-tactic for an opportunity to work with her. She could see her eyes radiate with a ray of hope, this would be a perfect opportunity for them to learn more about each other. Sara took her seat beside the older, blonde goddess in the evidence room and began looking at the pager information that she had collected from the scene. The little device that was something of new age technology to the Crime Lab was able to compute the numbers the pager had contacted in the last while in hopes of identifying the person who owned the pager. In this case it came to a dead end for the last number was Desmond 22 which was a raper and definitely alias for whoever was using this specific pager. It was a dead end, and Sara watched as defeat flooded the blonde's blue eyes.

"Maybe he will call his pager at some point?" Sara offered, about to reach her hand out to rest it on Catherine's shoulder but decided against such a brash move when they barely know one another.

Catherine looked up from the computer screen and smiled at the younger woman sitting beside her, feeling the urge to kiss her pouty lips become almost too overwhelming. Grissom did not have better timing when he came and knocked on the door frame to the evidence room and requested to speak to Catherine in the hall. She practically jumped out of her seat and closed the door behind her, leaving the younger criminalist in the room alone and in the dark.

"How are you too getting along?" Grissom asked peaking at Sara through the window to the room seeing that she was concentrated on the table at the moment, refusing to lift her eyes to meet that of the door.

"Fine, just great actually." Catherine replied as Grissom turned to look at her with confusion.

"Really? It was you that said we shouldn't have brought her in to the lab right?"

"Well, I was wrong."

Grissom was baffled. It was the first time he had ever witnessed Catherine admit she was wrong about something. In all the years he had known her and worked by her side she was always the one to exert her overarching need for control and leadership and instead it looked like she was willing to work side by side with Sara. There was something suspicious about this, but right now was not the time for digging, they were on the clock.

"Can I get that in writing?" Grissom quipped.

"Is there something you wanted?" Catherine replied with a sigh, not impressed with where this was heading.

"Yes, uh yes actually. I need you to go down to the morgue. Holly's body is there for processing and well, since you're a female maybe -"

"I'll get the swabs for you."

Catherine then turned on her heel and headed in the direction of the morgue. Sara had witnessed this from inside the evidence locker and flung open the door, brushing past Grissom without even a hello or good bye and jogged down the hall to catch up to the older blonde. Grissom stared in bewilderment at what had just taken place and kept his eyes on the two women until they had turned the corner and were out of sight.

A deathly cold chill ran down Catherine's spine as she approached the morgue. She told Sara to wait in the hall and she didn't question or try to refute, instead she did as she was told, taking a sip from the near by fountain, her eyes following Catherine ans she approached the swing doors to the morgue. Catherine had walked in and out of this room a million times on worse cases. Cases about raped women, abused children and suicides and it never bothered her like this before. This, this case was special; it was one of their own, one of the CSI's. They should be the victim's last word, not become the victim. She took a deep breath and approached the freezer door that said Gribbs, H on the front and pulled out the cold metal slab. When she was standing over Holly's frozen blue corpse she finally opened her eyes and sighed seeing the beauty that was trapped in her lifeless body. She resisted the urge to caress her cheek knowing that all she would feel is coldness and death. Catherine snapping on a fresh pair of latex gloves and almost broke down into tears.

"Keep it together Willows," She muttered under her breath as she pulled out a fresh swab from the kit beside her.

With her trembling hands, she grabbed Holly's left hand and she let out a long sigh. Catherine wanted to touch her skin when it was warm and not bone chilling cold. She wanted to look into her eyes when they were able to see and not glazed over looking out towards nothing. Catherine wanted to watch Holly sway her hips to the beat of music or hear her laugh at something funny or even see her cry when it was something said. All of that was impossible when the body was in full rigor and she no longer had a pulse.

_I'm Sorry..._Catherine whispered when she was finished collecting the samples from under her fingernails and sealing them back up the cardboard box to be delivered up to DNA lab tech Greg Sanders. She gave her gloved hand a kiss and then placed it on top of Holly's blue frozen lips, imagining they were full of life again.

"Catherine?" She could faintly hear Gil calling from outside the room. "Catherine, I'm coming in," He repeated as he slowly opened up the metal swing door.

Gil stared in awe at Catherine as she was standing over Holly's corpse, her eyes trained on Holly's and tears fell down her cheeks. He looked at where Catherine had placed her gloved hand; it was clasped over Holly's dead one. He glanced back into the hallway for a brief second and could see Sara making her way towards them, interested to see what was going on. He slightly shook his head, as she stopped knowing she was not welcomed.

"Catherine?" Gil called again, feeling like he was trying to wake up a comatose patient. He walked through the morgue, his shoes squeaking across the polished tile floor. The morgue door shut behind him with a sucking sound, none of this seemed to phase his colleague. Carefully he walked up to be at Catherine's side, her body rigid as if she had become a corpse as well. "Cat? Are you okay?" he repeated and reached out to grab her wrist. She had only been in the morgue for ten minutes and her arms were already as cold as ice.

Catherine jumped at the pressure on her arm, and whipped her head around to see who it was that was there. She was thinking that it was going to be Sara since she had come down here with her in the first place. It would have be comforting to see her reaching out to help, but instead it was Grissom. How he had made it down to the morgue so fast was beyond anyone's guess. Tears filled with make up smeared Catherine's cheeks and her lips were trembling from cold and sadness. Quickly she wiped her eyes, not wanting her boss to see her like this feeling embarrassed and let go of Holly's hand hoping he would not read too much into this whole situation.

"Come on, lets get out of here," Gil said guiding Catherine away from Holly.

"It's my fault," Catherine whispered, breaking down into a fresh batch of tears and full on sobs, grasping at Grissom's shoulder practically throwing herself onto him. Gil could feel her legs buckle as he used his strength to keep her from crumbling to a pool on the floor to the morgue.

"NO," Grissom replied sternly, his voice booming in the silent morgue and catching Catherine's attention. Their eyes met for a second, and Gil could see the guilt and the pain in her eyes, how serious she was about this whole situation being her fault. "It was not your fault, don't you even think that." Grissom replied and shook her gently, hoping that would knock some sense into her. "This is not the Catherine Willows I know; she would never say or even think anything like that."

Sara was pacing back and forth in the hallway wondering what was happening in the morgue. She knew how emotional Catherine was and she felt like she should comfort her in her time of need, that would be a great ice breaker for them to begin talking about what each of them knew was on the others mind when they looked at one another. She knew they had an attraction to each other the first time they met, and there was real potential for something serious to spark from this. Finally after fifteen minutes and what seemed like a life time in comparison the swing door to the morgue gently pushed open. Catherine and Grissom emerged, arms around each other with Catherine crying and Gil trying his best to comfort. Sara smiled, trying to cover her jealousy as she could feel her nostrils flaring wishing she was Grissom right now. When Sara and Catherine locked eyes for a brief moment however she saw the glint of hope in the blonde's eyes. She was without a doubt still attracted to Sara. It was Sara she wanted and it was Sara she needed.

"Sara why don't you head over to the break room, we'll come join you in a few minuets." Gil suggested and Sara nodded clearing her throat and smiled taking off back to the break room upstairs.

Catherine was still in Grissom's arms, not noticing or possibly even caring about the lookey-loo's that were emerging from every lab they passed to get to Grissom's office. It was the first time they noticed their now newly appointed head of the Crime Lab Gilbert Jonathan Grissom having human contact with none other than Catherine Rebecca Willows his best friend and second in command. The rumors were going to fly around the lab but neither of them cared about the water cooler talk that would emerge from this. Grissom opened the door to his new office, the office that once belonged to Jim Brass who was demoted and pushed back to Captain of the LVPD. Catherine trudged over to the chair that was across from Grissom's desk as Grissom walked around the large desk to his seat. She grabbed a tissue from the box on the corner of his desk to wipe away her tears, blotting around her eyes to make sure she didn't smear her make-up any worse than it already was. She wanted to piece herself together and look presentable for when she meets up with Sara in break room later. She could not believe how emotionally attached she was to this seemingly unknown woman. She had only known Holly for two day, however it felt like she had known Holly for years.

"Catherine, I'm sorry but I-" Gil started to say and then stopped, he sighed "I'm taking you off the case."

Catherine cocked her head in surprise. "What! Why?" She screamed, unbearably upset over her supervisor's decision. There was no way he was going to pull her off this case; she would not let anyone else touch Holly.

"Isn't it obvious? You're becoming too emotional. You know I have no choice," Grissom replied and slumped further down in his chair, seeing how this news just making matters worse.

"Well excuse me for being human!"

Grissom fell silent. He stared at her and could see that she was more than emotionally involved; she was attached to Holly, as if they were lovers or it was her daughter Lindsey on that slab instead of a colleague, someone she barely knew. He did not understand this unbearable attraction Catherine possessed for there newest recruit. Holly had been apart of the Graveyard team for two days; a whole forty-eight hours. How could someone gain such an unbreakable bond to someone they have known for such a short span of time? The human mind and emotional controls perplexed Grissom from the day he was born. He could never emotionally attach himself to someone or something. Of course he had emotions and feelings for his team and especially for Catherine, but never to this extent. He had been in love with her for years and he did not just hire her because of her brains, but also her beauty and quick wit personality. She was always the strong one, she was the people person and the other half, the human half of sorts to Grissom. Together they made a dynamic team but this was the first time he had ever witnessed her so tore up over a death. Catherine had been emotional at times, yes, but what woman hasn't? However Catherine loved Holly, and as much as that thought hurts Grissom to think about he still understands this as being love, which confuses him even more.

"Catherine, what, what's bothering you?" Gil finally asked to break the silence.

"What's wrong? You want to know what's wrong!" Catherine boomed, frightening her boss.

Gil just nodded his head, afraid that anything he was going to say would make Catherine even more angry and upset and she might start throwing things or smashing jars and breaking down into more heart felt was scared that much was obvious. She was scared that she could loose her job, scared that if people at the lab found out she would become the laughing stock of this place. Gil understood her reservations, especially if he was right about her emotions towards Holly. He would make sure none of that wouldn't happen, he would protect her, and make her feel needed, wanted and if the lab didn't have her they would surely loose their number one spot in the country.

"Well, for starters Holly is dead! She wouldn't be if I didn't tell her to keep pursuing something she didn't even want to do! Secondly, I am the only woman CSI on the Graveyard shift and have no one to confide in about my personal problems and finally Eddie is being an even bigger ass then usual and refuses to spend two days with his own damn daughter!" Catherine ranted and then stopped taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"What personal problems?" Gil questioned, his eyes stared directly into hers and he could see the apprehension in them, she didn't want to tell, she didn't want to say a single word to him. He knew all to well about Eddie and his abusive past towards Catherine and thankfully has not laid a hand on Lindsey. He didn't want to beat a dead horse with telling Catherine Holly was not her fault knowing that would set her off once more.

"You wouldn't understand," She mumbled and shifted her eyes away from his staring down at her blouse.

"Cat, I'm your boss and friend, try me."

Catherine paused wondering if she should tell him or keep it locked up inside her and let it slowly kill her day after day. She wanted to tell Gil, he was her most trusted and loyal friend, and he would understand. At least she knew that he wouldn't be objective or try and make a snide remark about her sexual preference. Catherine was not blind, she had noticed Gil had a small crush on her, ever since she had started working the Graveyard shift at the lab. She never acknowledged the words he said or the gazes he gave her. She was not and never will be, interested in dating him. Instead she wanted a woman and she had found one but now she was taken away from her...or was she? She was just about to open her mouth to say what was bothering her when there was a slight knock coming from the door to Grissom's office. Catherine turned in her chair as Gil looked up at the door frame and saw Sara standing there with a nervous smile on her face. Catherine gave a weak smile back and silently thanking the Gods for Sara's unexpected arrival.

"Sorry, was I interrupting something important?" Sara replied in a weak voice and stepped into Grissom's office admiring the shelves of different specimen jars.

"No, it's alright Sara" Gil said shifting his glance to Catherine. "Catherine, you've met Sara Sidle, she was the woman I was telling you about who was going to help on the Holly Gribbs case." Gil said as if this wasn't already apparent. "Sara this is-"

"Catherine Willows. We met in the evidence locker a few hours ago." Sara said finishing off his sentence and leaned against the door frame. "Are you sure this isn't important, I can come back?"

"No," Catherine said.

"Yes," Gil replied at the same time and gave a scowl to his friend.

"Well, that's confusing," Sara stated and smiled, showing off her gap tooth smile. Catherine couldn't help but crave to touch and kiss those lips of hers.

"What is it that you wanted Sara?" Gil asked beginning to get irritated with her surprise drop in.

"Actually, I wanted to speak with Catherine for a moment. It pertains to the Holly Gribbs case," Sara said. She knew that would convince Grissom to allow Catherine to leave. It was obvious some sort of interrogation was happening in here and Catherine was about the crack under the pressure.

"Alright," Gil huffed and looked at Catherine as she got out of her chair. "We'll continue this conversation later and consider if you need help with this ordeal or not."

Catherine shot Grissom an evil glare at the mere words he had just uttered. She couldn't be hearing correctly, there was no way that her best friend could think she needed clinical help to solve her issues. She was however, glad Sara had popped by now; she knew that he wouldn't understand. The only person that would be able to understand would be Sara because the exact same thoughts were racing through her mind.

* * *

T.B.C.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Catherine and Sara left Grissom's office, turned down the hall and headed in the direction of the break room. She met the eyes of all the lab techs that dared to look up from their work and meet the eyes of the women walking past their labs. The fire in her eyes she swore made most of them turn pale and quickly get back to their task without hesitation. She looked over at the younger brunette and resisted the overwhelming urge to grab her beautiful cream coloured hand, squeezing it like she was a teenager infatuated with her crush. being in such close proximity Catherine could smell the fragrance of mango fruits. It was wafting from Sara's shoulder length hair, the smell was intoxicating and invigorating. Everything about this woman was perfect; her beauty, her intelligence, her grace and ever her softer, more vulnerable side. Sara was everything that Catherine was searching for, and more.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sara whispered snapping Catherine back to the present.

"Uh, yeah...Thanks for bailing me out," She mumbled back trying to stay focused on something, anything other than the proximity of someone she was getting all butterflies in the stomach over.

"No problem, I could hear you both from across the lab." Sara looked up and smiled seeing the blonde caught onto that being a joke. "Okay, maybe not that bad, but you guys must have been getting into some heated conversation in there." She replied and met eyes with the older CSI. Her beauty was mesmerizing, her eyes were fascinating.

"Can we go to the break room and talk?"

"Of course, I was heading there for that exact reason."

Sara pushed open the swing door for the break room seeing that it was deserted. The rest of the graveyard shift must be off at crime scenes or have their noses down microscopes. Catherine was grateful that she and Sara would have some privacy, especially if she was going to tackle the subject that was on her mind. How on earth was she going to tell this young, beautiful goddess that she wanted to undress her with more than just her eyes. It wasn't exactly the most subtle approach, but it would sure get what she knew they were both thinking out in the open. Catherine slumped down on the beaten up brown couch that was off to the side of the room and let out a deep sigh. The break room was a fair size; big enough for the whole graveyard shift the sit in and relax or vent and this was where the assignments were handed out at the beginning of shift. Many memories have been made in this room the most recent being when Nicky hit his 100th solved case and was awarded with a promotion. The thought of that small party that was suppose to take place made Catherine think about Holly…

"I thought you could use a cup of this." Sara said breaking Catherine's thoughts as she looked at the steaming cup of coffee clutched in the woman's hand. Catherine smiled as a thank-you and took the mug knowing that coffee is probably the last thing she wanted, but the thing she needed the most. Well, besides Sara's lips upon her's.

Sara stared at the older woman who seemed to be off in her own world once more. It seemed to be happening quite frequently since they had left the morgue a few short hours ago. Apprehensively Sara reached out and placed her trembling hand on Catherine's thigh feeling the older woman's body surge for a moment at the sudden touch. She wanted to grab her hand, to hold it, to stroke it, but, Sara couldn't. She didn't know if Catherine had the same feelings, or was interested in making their relationship more than just colleagues or even friends.

Catherine snapped out of the thoughts of Holly and the horrific moment of learning about her death and instead concentrated solely on the present. Sara was the new Holly, and there was no way she was going to let this opportunity pass her by. "Sara," She croaked, her voice getting caught in her throat. "Sara, can, can I ask you something? It's sort of a personal question," She whispered, a little embarrassed and half expecting the young brunette to say no. Maybe even hoping she would say no, beginning to second guess everything.

"You can ask me anything you want Catherine," Sara replied and smiled. it was a smile that melted Catherine's heart.

"Do-do you like women?"

A small silence ensued between the women as it was so quite in the break room that Catherine would hear the ticking from the seconds hand on the clock over the door. Slowly ticking away precious seconds of the what was slowly becoming an uncomfortable silence between them. Catherine interpreted the silence as a bad thing, knowing that she shouldn't have approached the subject so soon after meeting her. I mean, they had spent less than a shift together and she was asking her to answer a question that she herself was afraid would be passed around the lab like a hot potato. She shifted her glance away from the Sara's eyes and towards the floor for now she herself was feeling embarrassed.

"Yes," Sara finally breathed as Catherine cocked her head back towards the younger woman. She had a smile on her face,"Do you like women too?" She asked and then suddenly felt stupid. Of course Catherine does, she was the one who asked the question.

"Yes," Catherine took a deep breath, knowing that they had gone too far to turn back now. "Do-do you like me?" She stuttered, trying to making eye contact with Sara but it was useless. She was too scared to hear rejection in her voice or a beat around the bush type answer. _Great one Willows_ Catherine thought to herself as she felt like slapping her own self upside the head.

"Yes," Sara replied, no thought or hesitation in her answer. She didn't have to second guess, she didn't need to think of something to say to divert the focus of the conversation. Catherine was everything, everything Sara was looking for in a woman and more.

This was all brand new territory to Sara. She usually always kept her personal feelings and emotions locked up inside herself. She definitely had never talked about her sexual preference with anyone else before, but that wasn't to say she had not had her share of girlfriends in the past. She had just always been a very private person, ever since she was a teenager and she lost her father to her murderous mother. No one, including her friends and co-workers know anything about her family, how she grew up, or what her childhood was like. Sara could recite the stories her friends would tell with pride and affection when they were children and make them into her own. Her sexual preference, especially at the lab, was something she wanted to keep a secret, but there was something about Catherine that made her open up like a large book and want to say everything that was on her mind. However, that does not hide the scars of what has happened to her in the past when coming out of the proverbial closet.

Senior prom was a perfect example. She was pressured into going by her foster parents saying that this was a ritual every teen girl needed to live through at least once in their lives. She didn't have a date, but that did not stop her from attending the over the top school dance party. When she entered the gymnasium, dressed to the nines in a beautiful dress, her make-up flawless and her hair a glittery spectacle she could sense that something was off. Sara had spotted her friends, all congregated in the far corner of the gymnasium, whispering amongst each other and giggling at some type of inside joke. When she went to go join the group she was told she wasn't welcomed.

"Why am I not welcomed?" Sara asked the group having a sneaky suspicions she already knew what was going to be said to her.

One of her best friends, a girl they had stayed together through everything from Kindergarten to now refused to look her in the eye as if she was ashamed of Sara for some reason. Then the girl beside her, a new addition to the group and someone Sara felt always had a personal vendetta against her, came up to Sara with a disgusted look on her face. She said Sara was not welcome because she was a fucking dyke, you might scare away the guys thinking that they were all trying to get a piece of her. When she said that Sara wanted to lunge at her and beat her senseless, pull her perfect hair and rip her expensive dress to shreds. She felt like Carrie from the Stephen King novel, getting the pigs blood dumped all over her dress in front of everyone. Instead of there being pigs blood and it her whole social life coming crashing down around her. Sara instead did the mature thing and turned on her heel, before anyone could see the tears that wanted to spot her blush covered cheeks, and ran out of the gymnasium. She didn't go home right away, instead she went out to her special spot that was near the San Francisco Bridge. It was somewhere she could go and think or read and have some peace. A place to escape her hectic life at her foster family's house or the pressures of high school. Never again had Sara ever said more then what was needed about herself or her past.

"Sara?" Catherine whispered grabbing the woman's attention seeing that she had pulled her away from a painful memory.

"Yes," she stated and looked up at Catherine "I do like you," she finished and wiped away her own falling tears. "D-do you like me?"

Catherine diverted her eyes away from Sara's for a brief moment and stared at the linoleum tiled floor of the break room. It was withered and covered by coffee stains and food. The floor reminded Catherine of her heart how banged up it is from being put through the ringer with every other romantic relationship she had been involved in over the past decade. The first time she was with a girl, her marriage to Eddie the con artist, the infatuation Grissom had with her, it was all a black cloud of hurt and pain and sorrow. She then moved her eyes back to the one thing that was bright in her future besides her eight year old daughter Lindsey. She studied Sara's features; her brown eyes that shifted from Catherine to the wall to the floor, her beautiful lips that she would run her tongue along and her caressing hands that fidgeted with the hem of her blouse.

"HEY GUYS!" Greg called from the lab across the hall.

Sara and Catherine both looked up and through the pane of glass directly across from them. They saw Greg, the DNA lab rat waving a piece of paper in his hands as if it were a surrender flag and the biggest smile Catherine had ever seen on him was across his lips. She then realized what that was; it was the DNA results of Holly's case. Catherine then looked back at the goddess sitting beside her on the couch and she could tell by just looking into those brown eyes she was thinking the same thing; they would continue this later. Catherine practically jumped off the couch with Sara on her heels as she pushed open the glass door and walked the two feet crossing over into the DNA lab. A room that was no bigger than the break room. Machines such as mass spectrometers and microscopes were located all around the lab, and heavy metal was playing softly from the CD player located on the corner of one of the desks.

"Are those the results?" Catherine asked becoming impatient. The young man just smiled.

"If I give you these, will you give me a lap dance?" Greg asked and smiled at Sara, "I don't think we've ever met, I'm Greg Sanders, DNA lab rat, energetic and single, just encase you were wondering." Greg said introducing himself; he then turned to Catherine, "I didn't know they were replacing Holly so soon." He whispered eying the brunette.

"I'm not her replacement; I'm Sara Sidle, from San Francisco, here to help on the Holly case." Sara replied and smiled, trying to suppress her gag reflex and rolling her eyes all at once.

"Oh, I see. So what about that lap dance Cath? Come on, it's a fair trade."

"Greg you know I only did that on stage." Catherine retorted and snatched the piece of paper. Sara raised her eye brow in confusion.

"Exotic Dancer," Both Catherine and Greg replied at once.

"Ah," Sara said as if that made all the sense in the world, "Results?"

"Oh yeah, your guy, he's _the_ guy." Greg stated and squealed like a teen girl ogling her heart throb.

Tears welled in the bottom of her eyes again, her Holly was finally going to be put out of misery and the man who did it was about to enter it.

_She gave me just enough, just enough to catch him…_Catherine replied and looked up at Sara seeing the comfort in her eyes. Her hands were trembling; the paper was flapping in between her fingers as Sara took the page from her and looked at the results. Sara couldn't help but smile when she saw the biggest grin appear on Catherine's face since they had met. The happiness she felt in catching the bastard radiated in her blue eyes. Finally Holly's killer could be behind bars and Holly's family could have some closure. She desperately wanted to give Catherine a longing kiss they both had desired. She wanted to express her affection towards the woman besides the occasional stare or words.

_Good job Catherine…_Sara replied as Catherine looked into Sara's brown eyes once more. She could see they were filled with desire, affection, and above all love. Catherine looked over at Greg who was trying to get back to work on some results for Grissom's leaper off the Casino roof and trying to ignore the now tears of joy fest that was happening in the corner of his lab.

"Thank-you," she said and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a friendly hug. Sara was trying to keep her jealousy to a minimum.

"I aim to please, and that kiss, makes up for the lap dance." Greg replied as they both left the lab heading to Grissom to relay the good news.

"Catherine, do you-" Sara began to say when Grissom met up with them in the hallway.

"What do you got?" Grissom asked staring into Catherine's blue eyes knowing that she had something exciting and worthwhile.

"We got him!" Catherine exclaimed and handed her boss the sheet of paper. Catherine glanced at Sara and could see the disappointment on her face, which confused Catherine, unsure of what happened between here and the DNA lab to make her look so glum.

Grissom removed his reading glasses from the breast pocket of his shirt and glanced over the DNA result page that Catherine had handed him seconds ago. A smile slowly crept across his face as he read through the results. "Good work ladies," he said and then glanced up at Sara, "I guess you'll be heading back to San Francisco then?"

Catherine perked her ears at what her boss and best friend had just brought to the table. How could she be so dense, of course Sara was only going to be in her life for a few days. She knew this was all too good to be true. How could it be possible that the one thing she wanted more than anything is the one thing she wasn't able to get? How could Holly grant her this gift and then take it away with her own closure. She couldn't, no she _wouldn't,_ let Sara slip through her fingers. She'll think of some way to make Sara stay, to not let her dream disappear with a snap of the fingers.

"I-I guess so," Sara replied caught off guard. She had totally forgotten about her having to leave. Sara glanced over at Catherine and could see her heart breaking all over again.

"Thank-you for all your help on this case Sara, we couldn't have done it without you," Gil replied and smiled. "Now if you excuse me I have an interrogation with to get to and you know how prickly Brass can get when we make him and the suspect stew." He said and left the two women standing awestruck in the middle of the hallway.

Sara and Catherine stared at one another, neither of them breathing a single word. They were afraid to speak, fearing that the words would be cruel and harsh. They both had not thought of what would happen when this case was finished. As bad as it sounded, both of them to some degree, secretly wished they didn't catch the killer, extend the amount of time they would have together. Catherine never thought it was possible for those selfish and horrid thoughts to cross her mind but love can do some really strange things to ones thinking. .

"Sara," Catherine finally said, staring into oblivion. There was no way she could look into he those beautiful eyes right now.

"Uh, yeah?" Sara replied still in a daze.

"Would you like to come to my house? I think we need to talk, without any interruptions from the peanut gallery."

"Yes, I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." She smiled as she followed Catherine out towards the parking lot. Her mind unable to grasp the concept that in less than twenty-four hours she would have to leave the one woman she had claimed to have become her true soul mate.

* * *

T.B.C.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Both Catherine and Sara headed into the locker rooms, that were almost at the other end of the lab. They had walked past Warrick and Nick lounging in the break room now that Sara's IA report was files and had Warrick free and clear of any reprimands. It did help matters that he was willing to wear a wire and help brass catch the Judge that was using him for gambling ventures when he was to be on the clock at crime scenes. They were watching a football game on TV, they both seemed more relaxed and even in a bit of a competition as to who was going to win the game or not. Then came Greg's DNA lab/ sound stage as they both almost had to cover their ears at the rock music blaring in the small room as he himself seemed oblivious and has his nose down a microscope. Once they reached the locker room it was deserted for the day shift had not come into start their shift just yet and Grissom was still in the interrogation room with Brass and their suspect for the casino jumper case.

Sara took a seat on the metal bench that ran the width of the locker room running her fingers through her hair feeling how greasy it was and how bad she was probably in need of a shower. She waited for Catherine to come back from the bathroom that was in the back with the showers and was then imagining her and Catherine in the shower together naked. She shook her head free of those tantalizing thoughts and rested her head in her hands. _Keep it together Sidle._ Her subconscious warned as she let out a deep breath once more. How could this be happening? Every time she found what she believed was the perfect person, something had to interfere.

The loud bang of Catherine forcing her locker door open snapped Sara back to the real world as she looked up from the floor to see the older blonde getting undressed in front of her eyes. Sara averted her eyes, unsure if the blonde wanted an audience or not, but it was hard to resist watching her beautiful hourglass figure be revealed under the layers of clothes. That was when the fantasy and the thoughts were not enough anymore, Sara needed to touch her, feeling her warm, milky skin, and kiss the nape of her neck. Wither it was Catherine's intention or not, the temptation was too overwhelming, like the snake in the Garden of Eden tempting the naive Eve.

Sara stood up and pushed Catherine against her locker as the metal door rattled under her weight. She leaned in and kissed her softly, finally being able to feel the softness of her supple lips as her hands began to roam her body, her shirt discarded on the floor and her breasts cupped in a black lace bra were out of display. Catherine let out a small moan, closing her eyes and getting lost in Sara's ginger touch, feeling her own hands grab her hips and push her in towards her, deepening the kiss. Sara didn't miss a beat, running her fingers through Catherine's short strawberry blonde hair, giving it a gentle tug to hear her moan in her ear once more.

"Follow me," Catherine mumbled across Sara's lips as she clasped her hand, bending down to grab her shirt and leading the brunette towards the showers.

Sara never took her eyes off of Catherine as they turned the corner and walked into the small shower area. There were three showers on each wall, each of them divided by high tiled walls that jutted out into the hall. Across the top was a metal rod that housed the shower curtain, it's plastic canvass was smooth and solid teal green to give them ample amounts of privacy. Catherine stopped in front of the stall that was at the very end on the left, pulling back the curtain and guiding Sara inside, closing it behind her. Sara couldn't hold back any longer, she longed for another kiss, to touch more than just Catherine's hand and to hear more than Catherine just moan. She leaned in and gave Catherine another kiss, pinning her against the tiled wall, forcing her tongue in between Catherine's parted lips, letting it roam around inside her mouth.

Catherine shut her eyes, imagining them at her place, on her bed, wrapped in the covers kissing and caressing. The tiles felt cold against her warm, bare skin, but she didn't care. At this moment she was too consumed in the passion and desire she had for Sara. Her hands roamed Sara's back, feeling the clasp to her bra under her thin black shirt, using her index finger and thumb she snapped the clasp free in one quick movement wanting to eye what was hidden under her shirt. She moved her lips away from Sara's and tilted her head back allowing Sara to begin making a trail of kisses down her neck and collarbone. She didn't want to loose Sara by her going back to San Francisco; she wanted her to stay, for something in her life to be real, for once.

"Sara," Catherine moaned as Sara stopped kissing and looked up at Catherine who was practically panting with desire.

"Yes," Sara whispered nipping at Catherine's ear lobe.

"I, I do like you." Catherine breathed and smiled.

Sara gave Catherine another kiss on the lips and then broke away, looking deeply into the sea of her eyes, "I like you too." She replied as she removed her shirt, taking the unclasped bra with her and tossing it on the floor.

Catherine stared at the beautiful body Sara hid underneath her clothes and smiled seductively. She admired every curve, every dimple and every freckle. She nimbly ran her fingers over her soft, smooth skin, her skin was heated against her cold hand as she could feel the brunette shudder under her icy touch. She moved her hands up to Sara's perfectly round breasts, cupping them as her fingers grazed over her hardened nipples from the chilled room. Catherine kissed Sara's collarbone, beginning a trail down to her breast listening as Sara whimpered and moaned with pleasure and edging the older blonde to give her more. She then cupped one of her breasts with her right hand, massaging it, as she met eyes with Sara, seeing her biting her bottom lip to stop from moaning louder and something Catherine found to be a big turn on. There was nothing sexier than a woman who was not afraid to voice her sexual pleasure in the bedroom, or the shower stall for that matter. The sounds of Sara moaning and pleading for more made Catherine want to devour her even more, want to taste her sweet, creamy middle and never ever let her go. Catherine bent her head down, running her tongue across Sara's nipples, making her squirm in her embrace at the sensation. Catherine then cupped her whole mouth around it, and began sucking on it feeling Sara go weak in the knees; she had found her sweet spot.

"Oh god," Sara breathed, throwing her head back staring up at the ceiling loosing her mind in the feather touches of Catherine's lips upon her skin.

Catherine moved her lips from Sara's nipple that she lightly nipped as a final act not wanting her to finish before they had barely started. she moved her lips back to Sara's, kissing her forcefully flipping her around so that she was backed up against the wall and Catherine was free to do as she pleased. She roamed her hands down Sara's flat, muscular stomach as her fingers played with the waist band of her black dress pants that clung to her ass so tight they looked as if they were painted on. She did not break her lips from Sara's as she nimbly undid the button her fingers her eyes gazing into Sara's brown ones seeing she wanted this just as much as Catherine. Slowly she undid the zipper, the sounds of the teeth separating was hardly heard over the moans both women administered with every new kiss, new nip and new touch. Sara grabbed a hold of Catherine's blonde locks and pulled, telling her to undress her right here in the shower stall. The pants wilted to the floor in a pool of black as Sara was now standing only in her red lace underwear that matched the bra that was discarded long ago. Her hand snaked down towards Sara's small of the back, tracing her fingers over the curves of her hips and then cupping her ass firmly in her hands, massaging it as her tongue dove once more inside her mouth.

Sara moaned louder as Catherine moved her hands from over top of the underwear to underneath them, her fingers caressing Sara's heated skin. Sara decided to return the favour as she unclasped the older blonde's black bra revealing her own breasts that were supple and round. Cather threw the bra across the tile floor as she leaned into Sara, kissing her hair as Sara began to suck on Catherine's breast, feeling the nipples get hard in her mouth. She playfully bit them causing Catherine to squeal with passion. She then did the same with the other, hearing her squeal once more and in response lightly slap Sara's ass feeling the brunette almost buckle under the blonde from excitement. Sara tried to stay focused on giving Catherine just as must pleasure ans she was dishing out but the blonde was not make it easy. She abandoned Catherine's breasts and began to make a trail of kisses down her stomach seeing the scar on her abdomen from a C-section. Catherine had a child, that was something Sara made a mental note to ask her about once this all over and done with. For now she kissed it lightly as her hands roamed around to her ass cupping it in her own hands and feeling how firm it was under her slacks. She locked eyes with the blonde seeing her bit her bottom lip as her blue eyes sparkled with the need for more than just touching.

"Touch me," Catherine breathed into Sara's hair, aching for Sara to feel her from the inside.

Sara happily obliged to Catherine's request as she quickly undid the pants with her hands and let them fall to the floor. Catherine stepped out of them, tossing them behind with a flick of her ankle so that she was only in her matching black lace underwear. Sara squatted on the tile floor as she firmly gripped Catherine's hips staring up at the blonde seeing how much she wanted this, how bad she had been aching for it even before Sara had showed up in Vegas. Sara kissed her hips and then slowly made a trail in between her thighs, slightly nipping at the tender flesh and feeling Catherine shiver with pleasure. She then snaked her hands up and down her muscular and tanned legs, feeling how smooth they were as her fingers went in between her legs as Catherine then gasped throwing her head back and letting her mind get lost in Sara's magical touch. She had never pleased a woman like this before, never someone who was so invigorating and forthcoming with how good it felt to be touched in the places society usually tells a woman a man should explore instead of someone of their own sex.

Catherine decided to return the favor as she grabbed Sara's arms, feeling that she was on the brink of release, and pulled the brunette back up to her feet, slamming her roughly against the tiled wall seeing the brunette was caught off guard but not afraid. She was not going to hurt her, instead she was just going to give her exactly what she had been wanting since they met eyes in the evidence locker no more than twelve hours ago. Catherine coiled her hands around the woman's hips, bringing her in as close as possible with one arm as the other was free to explore the secret between her legs. She did just that, holding the brunette who was light in her arm as the other worked its way under her red lace undies and entered Sara, hearing her gasp and moan with every flick of her fingers. Sara dug her nails into Catherine's shoulder, feeling her whole body about to convulse with a release as she nipped Catherine's ear, her breathing becoming rasp and shallow.

"Yes..oh…god…yes," Sara breathed as she let go, spilling herself all over Catherine's hand, her whole body relaxing at once. If Catherine was not holding her she would have crumbled to the floor just like her pants.

Catherine gave the brunette one last kiss, a deep and passionate one as she let go of Sara's behind and stepped back, admiring the woman she had just made love to at work in the shower stall. She watching as Sara moved her hair away from her flushed cheeks and stared at Catherine, her body covered in goosebumps from how cold it was in the locker room. It was the only place int he lab that did not seem to be heated at all. She smirked, tossing her, her red lace bra and shirt that were on the floor as she went about picking up her own discarded clothes. That was when the realization hit; Sara was leaving her. Catherine couldn't let this happen, she wanted Sara to stay with her forever, wanted to have more days like this and more unexpected, passionate moments like that. If Sara went back to California she would loose her to someone else and that was not an option.

Catherine grabbed Sara's hand, she had her back to Catherine as she buttoning up her pants. Sara suddenly turned and saw the sadness in Catherine's eyes. "Stay with me," She whispered as tears began to spring from her eyes. "Please, don't go."

"I was just going out to the locker-" Sara began to explain but was cut off by the sound of men laughing from out in the locker room. It also sounded like it was getting louder as if they were heading towards the shower block.

Catherine's sadness was quickly replaced with panic. No one knew about her fetish of women, and this was not the ideal place to be caught at the moment. She could tell by the voices that it was Warrick and Nick. They seemed to be getting their stuff from their lockers, talking about football because what else would a gambler and an ex-football player talk about after shift. She was hoping they would leave but it seemed like they were coming this way, possibly to shower before going out to try and fail miserably, at getting a date. .

"Come here." Catherine whispered pushing Sara into the corner, away from the opening to the shower stall, hiding her from view if someone came in here.

Sara stared in awe, not sure really what was going on. She watched as Catherine hastily undressed, throwing her clothes out into the hallway and quickly shutting the plastic curtain that ran in front. She then turned on the taps as water sputtered from the shower head. Catherine didn't have time to test the water before plunging under and soon regretted it. It was bone chilling cold as both her and Sara bit their lips, trying not to squeak in agony. Thankfully Catherine had thrown her shirt and bra out in the hallway with her own clothes. Only her pants were going to be soaked and they wouldn't take long to dry in the Nevada heat. Good thing she decided to wear black today.

Catherine dunked her head under the water, massaging her fingers through her scalp as the water began to warm up. Sara tried not to fixate on the beautiful, now fully naked, woman standing in front her her. She now understood Catherine's plan. She wanted to make it appear she was having a shower, and was having it alone.

* * *

T.B.C.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Warrick and Nick entered the shower area, preparing themselves for some privacy int he shower room. It was customary for them to suds up, in their own stalls of course, after a shift, especially after one that involved internal investigations and a death of one of their own. As they came closer to the back room the sound of running water abruptly ended their conversation on which football team had the sexiest cheerleaders, altering them that they were no longer alone. The looked at each other confused, knowing that Catherine would have been already gone to see her daughter and Gil never took a shower at the lab, being the socially challenged hermit that he was, it was highly unlikely he would engage in that type of social situation. The two men ventured deeper into the shower room seeing that steam was coming from the far stall and outside it, tossed in a heap on the floor was a pile of clothes. Women's clothing to be exact.

"Catherine? You in here?" Warrick called into the empty room.

Catherine poked her head out from behind the shower curtain, wrapping the stiff plastic around her naked body covering everything that needed to be and more. Her blonde hair that was once full of curls was now a wet mop as strands stuck to the side of her face. She smiled at the two guys, naked except for the towels that were around their waists as they smiled back, with confusion in their eyes. They always wondered what it would be like with the locker rooms being unisex if the shower room was occupied by more than one sex. If they had to choose, they would rather mistakenly see Catherine naked then any of the ladies on the day shift.

"Yeah, just taking a shower before I go home to see Linds, it has been a long and uh, laborious shift after all. " Catherine replied nonchalantly knowing that bringing up anything around her daughter the guys would not bother to question.

Nick shrugged his shoulders as Warrick totally understood what his older colleague was referring too. "Oh well. How did the Holly case go with that new girl, she seemed kind of off today don't you think?" He asked.

"What are you talking about Stokes, you had your eyes on her the whole time." Warrick replied as Nick playfully punched him in the arm.

Sara, who was still sitting in the corner was trying to figure out her Lindsey was and ignoring the comments that were being about herself and one of the possibly males at the lab. Was "Linds" a secret name Catherine was going to use when referring to Sara? Why didn't she just say Sara if they knew that she was into women? That was when the theories began to fly at hurricane speed through her mind. Was Catherine with another woman at the moment? Did she live with someone else, and was Sara her fling on the side at work when shit got tough? Sara closed her eyes and shook her head, she knew this was too good to be true.

"Something tells me she won't go for you Nicky." Catherine responded as the guys laughed.

This brought Sara back to the present and confused on what the hell they were talking about. Obviously Nick had a thing for her but what he said, her being "a little off", what the hell was that supposed to mean? Anger rose as she flared her nostrils ready to go out there and knock some sense into him, but something stopped her. She looked down and could see Catherine's hand was screaming stop knowing that Sara would want to go out there and do something about this little conversation. Sara began to get even more mad. Catherine didn't want her to move, she wanted her to stay coward in her corner, hidden from few, as if she was ashamed of all of this. Sara was beginning to get the feeling that Catherine's co-workers didn't know her preference for women, and that Sara was going to become what she despised most; a secret lover on the side.

Catherine herself had to try and resist the impulse to punch Nick across the face for the comment he about Sara. Instead, knowing that she was naked and the guys would take pleasure in gawking her breasts she instead just smiled at the guys. She also knew exactly what Sara would be tempted to do at the sound of that as she quickly made sure that would not do something both of them would regret and thankfully, the younger woman obliged.

"If you excuse me, I have a shower to be getting back to and a girl at home awaiting my arrival." Catherine said sneaking back into the stall and quickly shutting the curtain closed once more.

Warrick and Nick shrugged and then looked back at the pile of clothes lying on the floor in front of her stall. They saw black slacks, a bra and blouse which were obviously Catherine's clothes. However, beside that was a olive green tank top and possibly another set of underwear, it was hard to tell since they were hidden pretty well and they did not want to get any closer knowing the blonde would be done her shower soon and could possibly catch them red handed. That was when it dawned on the guys that Catherine was not taking a shower alone, there was someone else in there with her. They could only speculated at who it could be, and smiled thinking that he was one of the luckiest guys in the entire lab, whoever it was. Nick and Warrick took two of the stalls closest to the doorway and there towels on the floor in clumps of white. Each of them turned on their shower heads and smirked, anticipating Catherine and the mystery person to walk by so they could try and catch a glimpse at who it was.

Meanwhile, Catherine turned back to apologize to Sara for what Nick said but she stopped, her mouth agape, Sara's eyes burned holes into her. She was not very pleased at the moment. She reached over and shut off the water hearing that both of the guys had resumed their conversation about cheerleaders and could hear their shower head sputtering water. Catherine turned back and stared at the drenched, half naked woman standing in front of her. Catherine then realized that they did not grab towels however, there were a few outside on the rack at the end of the hall. Catherine put her finger to her mouth to tell Sara to be quite as if she was a little child, and like a child Sara rolled her eyes and obliged. Quickly, Catherine poked her head back out seeing that the coast was clear. She then scooted out and grabbed two towels and sneaked back in the shower tossing one at Sara who caught it. The young brunette never took her eyes off of Catherine as both of them dried themselves off as best they could.

"I'm going to go first, wait until they are done, they are guys it should be about five minutes and then head out once they are back in the locker oom and meet me in the woman's washroom. The door-" Catherine began to explain in a hushed tone.

"I know where the door to the woman's washroom is Catherine." Sara snapped as she covered her half naked frame with the towel, now feeling more exposed than if she was actually naked.

Catherine wanted to ask what was wrong, but they needed to play this out perfectly if they wanted to get unscathed by the guys. She wrapped the towel around her naked body and stepped out into the hall, snatching up her clothes from the floor and briskly walking back towards the main area, passing the two men in their in depth conversation about how short is too short for a skirt. She rolled her eyes, now the mystery to why neither of them having a girlfriend was solved, as she pushed on the door to the woman's washroom and slipped out of sight.

Five minutes later the men where done their showers as Catherine had suspected and Sara stood in the stall at the end of the hall waiting for her moment to leave and have some choice words with Catherine. She stood there, anger seething as she overheard the conversation Nick and Warrick were having with one another, now believing that they were alone in the shower room that Catherine was gone. They quickly changed the subject from cheerleaders to the fact that they suspected Catherine was not alone in that shower stall. She listened to their theories that it was probably Grissom and they always had a thing for one another and it was about time they acted upon it. Then they theorized that it was Greg the DNA tech Sara had been hit on not too long ago as both of them then realized that Greg was too young for Catherine's taste.

_Oh how wrong you idiots are_. Sara thought as their voices disappeared back into the locker room and now was her chance to escape.

Quickly Sara slipped out from behind the shower curtain and grabbed her clothes that were left on the floor. If the guys had half a brain and looked back once they were done their shower they would have noticed a bra and tank top, obviously not a man's style. She then tip toed down the hall, hearing them continue their conversation on who Catherine was naked with in the shower in the locker room. She peaked around the corner and noticed that they both had their backs to the door to the washroom so this was her chance. Quickly she pushed the door open and slipped inside without anyone else being the wiser.

Catherine was standing at the vanity, she was dressed once more in her slacks and blouse as her hair was damp but no longer soaked. It was obvious she ran her hands through her blonde strands under the hand dryer on the side wall to try and dry it as best she could. The blonde looked up from the sink as she was patting her face dry with paper towel to see Sara's fury flaming in her pupils. Catherine turned away from the mirror knowing that something was bothering the brunette.

"What's the-" Catherine began to ask as she quickly cut off.

"Who's Lindsey?" Sara asked with rage. She dropped her shirt and bra on the floor, leaving herself topless as she crossed her arms over her bare chest, "Is she you're lover on the side? Am I going to be the fucker at work and then you have a fucker after hours too!" Now that they were alone she could be as vocal and aggressive as she wanted to be.

Catherine was taken aback by this. How could Sara ever think of such a horrible thing? How could Catherine fathom even the idea of having a secret lover on the side, Sara was all the woman she ever needed. "Lindsey is my daughter," She breathed mortified at what was said and looked away from Sara, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Sara went speechless. She then remembered the C-section scar she had on her abdomen, the same one that she had kissed lightly as they were making love in the shower. What the hell was wrong with her? How could she become such a jealous monster around a woman she barely knew? "Catherine, I-" Sara didn't know what to say, "I'm sorry, I mean I don't know what came over me. I-I just assumed." She stopped, knowing a stumbled upon apology was not going to take away the pain she had caused.

Sara extended her hand out towards Catherine, hoping that she would embrace it and she did, reluctantly. Catherine held her close, not caring that her soaked brown hair was seeping in through the fabric of her blue blouse chilling her skin. Sara stroked the woman's back, feeling the warmth from the dryer from her hair and feeling like the biggest idiot there was.

"It's okay Sara," Catherine mumbled into her shoulder, "You didn't know I had a daughter, I can understand how you would come to the assumption of there being another woman." She reasoned and pulled away from the brunette, wiping her tears from her cheek seeing them flush with embarrassment.

"Catherine," Sara whispered, not wanting to look the older woman in the eye. "Can we go to your place and talk?" She muttered, her body not shivering since she was still naked from the waist up.

Catherine gave her a kiss on the lips, knowing that there was still a spark between them, even after this unfortunate miscommunication. She needed to talk to her, she needed to desperately, to convince her not to leave Vegas, to stay here permanently as apart of the team at the Lab and as her lover. "Get dressed and let's blow this joint," She breathed with a smile on her face and kissed Sara again.

After twenty minutes and knowing the locker room was cleared of any possibly awkward encounters from Warrick and Nick the two women exited the woman's washroom. Catherine made a quick stop at her locker so she could grab her purse as Sara did the same and they were off, heading towards the parking lot.

Grissom looked up from his paper work that was swallowing him whole at his small desk. Case files were open in a semi circle with glossy eight by ten photos of Holly's dead body and post mortem shots of her bullet wounds taken by Doc. Robbins, the Crime Lab's graveyard shift coroner. He tossed off his reading glasses in the heap as the words were beginning to merge on the sheets of paper. he rubbed his temples, feeling a headache beginning to pound in the front of his skull. When he looked up he noticed Catherine and Sara walking by his office.

"Catherine!" He called out as the two women stopped and turned towards Grissom's office.

Catherine sighed, wondering if anything else could happen between this office and the four feet it was to the front door. She poked her head from behind Sara's shoulder and met eyes with her boss. She could see that he was exhausted; his mind had been wrapped in his most current case that looked to be the Holly Gribbs one. He was reviewing her and Sara's notes.

"Yes?" Catherine asked moving towards the door frame.

"I was just reviewing your notes." Grissom said as he stood up and almost fell over because his legs were so stiff.

"And?" Catherine glanced up at the clock. All she wanted to do was get home with Sara.

"Great job, both of you."

Catherine smiled at her boss as a tear glistened in her eyes. She didn't want to deal with Holly's death any longer. She wanted to let that part of her die with her, be buried six feet under with her body. She nodded a thank-you and turned on her heels continuing down the hallway. He watched as she grabbed Sara's hand and now understood what "personal problems" she was experiencing.

"Did you drive here?" Catherine asked Sara as they stood in the parking lot the cool breeze of the desert night hitting their faces.

"Yeah, I parked over there," Sara replied as she was fumbling for her keys in her pocket. Sara pressed the unlock button on her remote controller as headlights in the far left hand corner lit up the night, showing Sara where she had parked in the daylight.

Catherine frowned, wanting Sara to be with her when they drove to her house; she wanted to have her in the passenger's seat, within arms reach, for the rest of her life. She masked her frown with a smile and walked with her, still holding her hand, towards her truck. Ironically, Sara parked right beside Catherine's truck. As they approached their vehicles Catherine couldn't resist, knowing the parking lot was deserted, she gave Sara a peck on the lips telling her to follow her to her house across town. This however was something that Greg, who was just leaving the lab after a tiring and roller coaster shift, caught. Greg stood on the stairs to the entrance, his jaw hanging open, and his eyes tunneled on Catherine and Sara. He waited until both of them left the parking lot, trying not to make eye contact with them as they passed, before heading towards his own truck. This was something he wanted to tell the guys but instead he decided that it would be a perfect topic in the break room tomorrow when Sara was already on her way back to California.

* * *

T.B.C.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Catherine pulled her lab issued black SUV into her interlocking driveway. The headlights illuminated her front porch and white vinyl garage door before she shut off her engine and taking a deep breath in the dark interior of her truck. It was the first time in along time that she had invited someone over that she was romantically interested in and she was a little apprehensive on how to approach this once her very inquisitive daughter started asking questions. Catherine quickly did a once over on her appearance as the yellow glow of Sara's headlights filled the mirror announcing her arrival. She smiled as she opened her driver's door greeting the brunette in the driveway and the cool desert evening.

Sara walked towards Catherine with ease as she planted a quick kiss on her lips not caring if the older blonde had nosy neighbors or not and entwined her fingers within Catherine's. The women walked hand in hand up the steps as Sara moved her hand to wrap it around Catherine's waist, grasping at her hips as her fingers grazed over the small of her back. She could feel the blonde tense at the welcoming gesture as she tried ton concentrate on opening her front door.

It was ten in the evening, which was unusual time for Catherine to be coming home since she usually worked well into the morning but they had pulled a double and both Sara and her needed a rest. Catherine's daughter Lindsey would already be off to bed and one thing that child could do was sleep. Not even the smoke detector wakes her up which was something Catherine was quite grateful for, especially now that she was getting older and Catherine would begin to bring home lovers at some point. It had been a long while since she had allowed anyone, including her own co-workers to enter her home. This was her place for escape and peace away from the guys at work and the cases she was assigned. With Sara however, she wanted the woman to share in every part of her life in and outside of the lab.

Catherine led Sara in through the front foyer, making her grip on her hand even tighter, squeezing her hand gently as a signal that this is what she wanted more than anything at the moment. They climbed the staircase that was off to the side of the front foyer, not bothering with a tour of the house, or going to the kitchen for a cup of tea and talk. No Catherine had one destination on mind and she could tell by the kiss that Sara gave out on in the driveway that she wanted it just as bad. They walked down the small hallway at the top of the stairs, Sara taking her gaze off of Catherine's beautiful body for a moment to catch a glimpse of the interior of the house. It was quite cozy and was definitely inhabited by two women. There were clothes and toys scattered everywhere. On the vanity to the bathroom off to the left there were tons of hair products, makeup and perfume. Lindsey's room was across the hall from the bathroom. Her name was done in blue bubble letters that fanned over the white washed door like a rainbow. The door was closed as Catherine stopped for a moment and took a peak inside to make sure her daughter was asleep. The light was off and she could hear her softly breathing from the bed a few feet away. Satisfied that her daughter was not going to be disturbed she softly closed the door once more and lead Sara down to the end of the hall.

Catherine opened up the second door on the left, beside the bathroom and diagonal to her daughters. The older blonde flicked on the light as it illuminated the very picturesque bedroom belonging to Catherine. The king size bed was covered with purple satin sheets and the head board was made of pure maple was in the middle of the room. Their was a dresser on the left hand wall with a vanity full of cosmetics and jewelery. Above that was a framed abstract painting that was vibrant in colours and stood out among the whitewashed wall. Across from the door was a large bay window that had a seating area and was filled with magazines and books. It was obvious that was where the woman went to relax and escape into the fictional world of her books. On the right hand wall was a large walk in closet that was filled to brim with clothes, shoes and purses; every woman's dream. The bedroom was simplistic, but also classy. Everything had a place and nothing looked to messy or disarrayed. Sara went and sat on the small bench that was at the foot of the bed and looked behind her, seeing another abstract painting above the wall done in the same style as the one on the left and wondered if it was the same artist that did both. The window was left open to allow in some dessert breeze enter the room as the curtains danced along the hardwood floor.

Sara watched as the blonde disappeared into her walk in closet, tossing her clothes all over the place, opening and closing drawers. Sara was about to go and interrupt since she wanted to see Catherine naked again anyways but the blonde reemerged before she could even get off the small bench. Sara's eyes went wide and her mouth agape at the sight in front of her. Catherine was dressed in nothing but a royal blue silk nightgown that just barely covered her butt. The straps fell loosely on her shoulders as the low cut in the front almost did not contain her perfect breasts. She leaned against the frame to the closet, her left leg slowly inching it's way up her left as her blue eyes were focused on the brunette in front of her. It was almost like a dream. Sara did not even realize that the blonde inched her way towards her, her blonde curls wisping over her heart shapped face as she approached Sara on the bench.

Catherine then wrapped her arms around Sara, straddling her slight frame on the bench as she kissed her deeply, her tongue exploring her mouth once more and feeling her moan in her throat. She pulled Sara hard against her body, kissing her more and faster as if they had been separated for months on end and were just reunited with each other. In a split second they were no longer upright and instead they had fallen back on the bed, Catherine landing on top of Sara but bracing herself with her arms to make sure she didn't crush the poor woman. Sara gazed up into Catherine's eyes, her breasts in her face as she hoovered over her like a blonde goddess. Sara was too overdressed for this as Catherine began to claw at her shirt and Sara was massaging Catherine's nipples through the thin fabric hearing the older woman moan and pant with passion. Catherine lifted the shirt over Sara's head tossing it across the floor and and clawing at her bra, pushing her breasts up feeling the younger woman squirm under her. She reached around to unclasp it as the bra fell away and Sara was once again on display for Catherine's pleasure.

Sara ran her hands up Catherine's back, under the blue nightgown and realizing she was naked underneath. She grabbed it and pulled it over the woman's head as her whole body was now out for Sara to admire. She moved her hands back down from her shoulders, tracing her spine and running over her ass, loving how firm it felt in her hands. Catherine moaned and sucked on Sara's hardened nipples while Catherine could feel Sara's fingers going between her legs. She was ready and willing to give Sara another pleasurable release. Sara could feel how ready her lover was as Catherine slowly undid Sara\s pants with her free hands as her mouth still sucked and nipped her hardened nipples knowing that was her weak spot. She got the pants loose with ease as Sara lifted her hips to allow for Catherine to remove them with ease, taking her underwear with them, leaving her naked as well on the king sized bed. Catherine wasted no time in plunging her fingers between Sara's legs ad Sara did the same to the blonde, both of them moving in rhythm with each other as moans and pleas for pleasure filled the bedroom walls. It felt like forever but only took a few moments before they both released for each other feeling how good the other felt as they sighed in exhaustion Catherine collapsing beside Sara on the bed.

Sara did not even bother grabbing any of her clothes, instead she grabbed Catherine's shoulder as she rolled over to her side and leaned upside the older blonde, smelling the sweet smell of sex in her hair as she nuzzled her neck. Their bodies were sweaty and sticky but the breeze coming into the room sent a chill over their skin as Catherine grabbed the sheet and pulled it over them, not wanting Sara to leave her side. She slowly ran her fingers through Sara's beautiful brown, matted hair kissing her temple and remembering how good it felt to have the person you love at your side. How good it felt to be loved again, and to give love in return and to have someone to share her large, empty bed with. Catherine was convinced that Sara was her soul mate that they had secretly been seeking out one another, without even knowing it, for quite sometime. It was sad, however, that someone had to die, for the two of them to be together, that their new love was sprung from a dead seed.

Catherine would never forget Holly, even though she had only meet the attractive brunette for an unscheduled coffee for twenty minuets, she knew that Holly was an amazing woman. Even though she was not apart of the team for every long Catherine would still think of her as family, as one of the group. Her stunning looks were not the only thing she worked hard at trying to keep. Maybe she hated her job, maybe she wanted to get away from the business of death and darkness, but Holly never gave up on doing what she had been inspired to do her whole life. That was until someone shot her in cold blood and she became a victim in a profession she loathed.

Sara was tracing her fingers along Catherine's arm, making circles in her cream colours skin she could not see in the darkness of the room. Suddenly a rush of weariness flooded over her as she closed her eyes beginning to fall asleep to the comfort Catherine was giving her. She was in her own little world where she didn't have to work, didn't have to eat, sleep or drink. A world where it was just her and Catherine, staying on this bed for eternity, holding one another, expressing their love for one another when the need arose, and never leaving one others side. She didn't want to go back to San Francisco; there was nothing left there for her. All she needed was right here, right beside her, showing her the attention she longed for. Sara wanted to stay in Vegas; she wanted to go and see Grissom and ask to be Holly's replacement. .

"I don't want to go back to California," Sara whispered, it was the first words uttered in hours.

Catherine opened her eyes at the sound of Sara's voice in her ear. She smiled and didn't want to cry, knowing that her prayers were answered but, she was failing. "I don't want you to leave either Sara. I'm afraid that if you leave we'll never see each other again." Catherine confessed as she began to cry. "I-I don't think I will ever find someone I love as much as you; you're the one I've been looking for." She confessed as her voice shook with every word she spoke; the tears flooded her vision as they fell from her cheeks.

Sara sat up, turning on the lamp that was on the bedside table and looked at her new lover. She watched in horror as she was falling to pieces right before her eyes. Above anything else she wanted Catherine to be happy. She wanted to see her angel like smile, and the radiance in her eyes. All Sara saw now was sadness, and fear, fear that this was going to end. It wasn't going to end, Sara was going to stay in Vegas, she'll ask Grissom for the position, and she'll recommend her services to the Crime Lab. She will do anything so that they can stay together, how it should be.

"Shush, don't cry baby," Sara breathed, biting back her own tears that threatened to fall. She cupped Catherine's face in her hand and wiped away her falling tears. Her skin felt warm and soothing which made Sara smile. "I'm going to talk to Grissom, I'm going to ask to take Holly's place in the lab. I'm going to stay here in Vegas, stay here with you." She explained as she leaned in and kissed Catherine's salty wet cheek.

Catherine lifted her gaze from the purple sea of sheets in front of her and looked deep into Sara' brown eyes. What she saw looking back was the one thing she had been searching and wanted for years.

True love.

* * *

T.B.C.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

It had been hours since the two women had arrived back at Catherine's. They were cuddled around each other, their arms locked in an embrace that looked almost impenetrable. Sara was nuzzled up against Catherine's neck, She was breathing in her sweet smell as her mind was still trapped in her dream world, where they lived on a deserted island and spent days basking in the sun and cuddling with each other in bed. Catherine was still sound asleep beside her, she was exhausted after her double shift she just pulled in solving the Holly Gribbs murder. It didn't help that their activities both in the shower stall and in bed a mere few hours ago did not exert her bodies bent up energy.

"Mom?" Lindsey called as she knocked on the bedroom door lightly. Almost too light for neither Catherine or Sara to hear her.

Catherine's blue eyes shot open at the sound of the door knob being twisted. She jumped just as high as a cat who got spooked, up out of the bed, grabbing her house coat, wrapping it hastily around herself and grabbing the door handled before her daughter peaked inside.

"Hey Linds." Catherine said as she closed the door tight behind her, pushing her daughter back out into the hallway seeing that she was still in her pink unicorn pajamas and her blonde hair that fell below her shoulders was a mess of bed head.

"When did you come home last night?"

"It was late, you were sleeping when I checked on you and didn't want to wake you. How was school?"

"Fine, I guess. Are, are you hiding something from me in your bedroom?" The little girl, where nothing gets past her, stared up at her mother.

"Uh, nothing Linds. Do you have any homework this weekend?" Catherine asked changing the subject as she directed her daugther away from the bedroom.

"Yeah, I have a science project I need to do. Do you think Uncle Grissom would help me build a volcano?"

"You'd have to ask him. Why don't you go down and make some breakfast and I'll be down there in a few minutes okay?"

"Okay mom." Lindsey scampered on down the stairs as Catherine huffed a large sigh of relief.

Catherine turned around and headed back to the bedroom quietly opening her bedroom door and seeing Sara was still laying on her side, her back to the door and looking as if she did not move a muscle since Lindsey had knocked on the door. She took off her bathroom in which she was naked under, and cralwed back under the covers. Sara's eyes were still closed as Catherine brushed away a few strands of brown hair from her face and kissed her on the cheek. Sara moaned, as she slowly opened her brown eyes, the same hue as her hair and smiled at the older blonde who was in front of her.

"I'm assuming that was Lindsey." She muttered reaching up with one hand and cupping her lover's cheek.

Catherine couldn't help the blush that was growing from her neck to her cheeks. "Yeah, sorry for the cloak and dagger. I have not, approached my sexual preference to my daughter just yet and seeing you in the bed, well that would be a shock and call from the school come Monday morning." She explained and adverted her eyes from Sara's ashamed that she is her hidden secret when all she wants is to scream her love for Sara from the tallest building.

Sara cupped Catherine's cheek, bringing her lips to meet hers as she wrapped her arm around her neck, guiding her back to bed and to snuggle a little while longer. "It's okay Catherine, I understand how it is to keep this hidden away. I promise, I'll help you explain whenever you are ready to explain it to Lindsey." Sara answered and kissed her again, her hands wanting to roam her body once more but the overwhelming urge to use the washroom was clouding her thoughts at the moment.

"Can I borrow your housecoat, I need to use the ladies room." Sara said sheepishly as Catherine nodded letting the brunette get out of bed and out of grasp.

Sara threw the covers off her naked body, feeling how warm it was now in Catherine's room that the desert sun was back out in full force once more. She glanced over at the clock and realized it was almost nine in the morning. They had been able to get over four hours of sleep which was a track record in Sara's books. She slipped on the white satin house coat loving its feel against her skin and slipped out into the hallway bee lining it to the bathroom. Quickly she ducked inside, closing the door behind her and giving herself a once over in the vanity mirror. Her brown hair was a disarray from sleeping peacefully in Catherine's arms last night. There were slight dark circles under her eyes, as she ran the taps to the sink and splashed cold water on her heated cheeks.

"Hey mom, I made us some-" Lindsey's voice came from the other side of the bathroom door and Sara panicked. There was no where she was able to hide in time, she was trapped as the blonde haired, blue eyes girl entered the bathroom stopping her sentence midway. "Do I know you?" Lindsey asked replied looking the younger woman over for a moment, who was dressed in her mother bathrobe and nothing more.

"Ah, no, I'm Sara Sidle, I work with your mom at the lab," Sara replied.

Catherine could hear the whole conversation from her bed as she buried her head in the pillows hoping to god this nightmare would end. Well, if there was any time as ever, this was the perfect opportunity to come out of the closet to her daughter.

"Oh, um, why are you in my mom's bathrobe?" Lindsey asked standing in the doorway not allowing Sara to move from her spot until she got some answers.

"My uh, my plumbing in my apartment is backed up right now and your mom was nice enough to let me shower and freshen up after a hard shift at your place." Sara stated, hoping her flushed cheeks and fingers twitching were not a dead giveaway that she was lying.

Lindsey smiled her blue eyes were bright and full of questions but for the most part Sara seemed to have fooled the girl "Oh, well, are you new, my mom never talked about you before?"

"Yes, I just moved here from San Fransisco last week. I'm sorry for you to meet me like this."

"It's okay, I'm Lindsey by the way, her daughter, knowing my mom she probably forgot to mention that I exist." Lindsey replied sarcastically as Sara smiled.

"Actually your mom has told me a lot about you. Sound like you're real awesome girl to be around. I bet you're popular at school,"

Catherine lifted the pillows off of her ears and listened as her daughter and Sara had a full length conversation in the bathroom to her house. it seemed, at least for the time being, that Lindsey was not questioning Sara's story that had more holes in it than Swiss Cheese at the moment. She listened as Lindsey laughed at something Sara had said and then they said their goodbyes. Catherine quickly got up out of bed and threw on pj bottoms and tank top as her daughter entered the room with a smile on her face.

"Hey, I uh just met Sara. She seems really cool, I feel bad for barging in on her in the bathroom though. I saw your bath robe and thought it was you. Sorry mom." Lindsey said as she sat on the corner of Catherine's bed.

Catherine came back over, shoving Sara's discarded clothes under her side of the bed and smiled, kissing her daughter on the forehead. "What did you make for breakfast kiddo?" She asked looking at herself in the mirror to her dresser and running her hands through her matted blonde curls.

"Pancakes, I left some under the warmer for you whenever you were ready to venture down stairs."

"My little chef. I'm famished so I look forward to eating them." Catherine heard the toilet flush and the sink turn on in the bathroom once more.

"I'm going to go in my room and do some of my homework." Lindsey stated as she got up off the bed and walked over to her room.

Catherine watched as her daughter shut her bedroom door and moments later loud techno music began to blare in the room knowing that Lindsey was now in her own little world for probably the remainder of the day. She let out a sigh of relief as Sara then came back into the bedroom a smile on her face.

"So your plumbing is backed up huh?" Catherine stated with a snicker.

"Well I had to think so something, plus it worked, that's all that matters." Sara replied as she shut the door to Catherine's bedroom. "I would hate to be the one to have to explain to your daughter the real reason I'm here. She is one bright kid tho, I think you should tell her. Maybe not about us specifically just yet but about your sexual preference. She's old enough to understand."

Catherine sighed; she had been wanting to explain it all to Lindsey, to lay it out on the table and get it over and done with for awhile now but work, school, life always seemed to find away to take precedence. However, the thought of what her daughter would think of her, if her feelings for her mother would change or not, is what scared Catherine the most. She knew Lindsey would understand the concept, but would she accept her mother's lifestyle. She could not stand loosing another person, especially the trust and love she had with her daughter over something that she was keeping a secret from the rest of the world anyways.

"Will you help me?" Catherine whispered as she watched Sara get dressed into her clothes from yesterday, getting ready to leave.

"Help you with what baby?" Sara replied as she sat down on the bed where Catherine was and pulled on her pants.

"Help me tell Lindsey. It would be better if there was someone besides myself was there to explain if, uh, if I can't."

Sara grabbed Catherine's hand and squeezed it tight, looking the blonde in the eye, "Of course I will Cat, if that's what you want, I will do it. You don't have to be afraid, we will be facing everything from here on out together, since that's what people do when they are in love and in a relationship. Okay?"

"O-okay" Catherine stated and nodded her head giving Sara another kiss, wishing she would stay a little longer and that she could take her out of those clothes once more, have her back in her bed, in her arms for just a little while longer.

"I better go, why don't I come by later tonight and we can watch a movie or something," Sara suggested seeing Catherine's eyes dance with excitement.

"That sounds wonderful," Catherine replied, "I love you Sara," She whispered and kissed her soft lips.

Sara hesitated for a moment, it was the first time another woman had ever uttered those words to her. She cupped Catherine's face, looking deep into her eyes and pulling her in close, feeling how good it felt to hold the person you love. "I love you to Catherine." She mumbled in the blonde's ear, "I'll see you tonight,"

Sara then got up off the bed leaving the bedroom still hearing the music coming from Lindsey's bedroom across the hall. She closed the door behind her and made her way downstairs, slipping on her shoes, grabbing her purse off the floor and heading out towards her truck. Sara didn't notice that Lindsey was watching her from her bedroom window. When Sara was gone out of sight Lindsey flopped back down on her bed, the music flooding her ears, making her clear her mind. She didn't believe Sara's second in the bathroom, not a single word of it accept that she was new to town. Lindsey then wondered why there was a need for her mother and Sara to hide something from her, but that was not going to be the end of this. She would get to the bottom of it, and would use any excuse to get the women together to corner them into telling her the truth.

* * *

T.B.C.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Eight **

The day had seemed to drag by as Catherine was anticipating her evening with Sara. it had been a long time since she had anyone over that she was romantically involved with. It was also the first time she would have another woman over to enjoy a movie with besides her daughter and occasionally her sister and nephew. She tried to get her ex husband Eddie to take Lindsey for the night but the man would not hear of it. he kept going on and on about this new gig he had lined up that was going to make him a millionaire. It was obvious to Catherine that he was either high on coke or drunk out of his mind, his slurring words and fast talking were a dead giveaway. She didn't care if he was telling her a bold face lie, there was no way, even if agreed, that Lindsey would be seeing her father this evening. Catherine contemplated on calling Sara to cancel, but she instead thought that maybe having her daughter around wasn't going to be such a bad idea. When she ran the idea past Lindsey she practically jumped for joy, thinking of this as a slumber party. There was no way now she was going to disappoint her eight year old who was excited for movies and popcorn on a Saturday night.

The doorbell rang as Catherine was just finishing up her daughter's simple meal of Kraft Dinner, processed cheese and noodles seemed to be a growing girls dream. Lindsey scampered out of her chair and bee lined it for the front door before Catherine even got a chance to leave the pot on the stove. Unlike many women her age, Catherine did not have the cooking gene in her, so the simplistic meals were always best, but that did not mean she has not burnt even Kraft dinner on the stove. She had her back to the front hall as she placed the noddles in the strainer hearing the swoosh sound of the hot water hit the sink and steam billow int the air. She could hear her daughter giggling as she peered over her shoulder seeing her and Sara walking back into the kitchen.

Lindsey went back to her seat at the island her hand on her fork at peering at the empty bowl, hunger had overcome her. Sara sat down beside her dressed in dark jeans and a low cut white tank top. Her brown hair was back off her face in a ponytail. They both watched as Catherine finished mixing the Kraft Dinner in the pot, her back to both of them but she could feel both sets of eyes burning into her back. Suddenly she became very self conscious of what she was wearing; sweatpants and a black tank top, her blonde hair in a messy bun atop her head. In comparison to Sara she looked like she had just rolled out of bed.

Catherine turned around, bringing the steamy pot over to her daughter and dumping three hearty spoonfuls into her empty bowl, watching ehr daughter lick her lips in anticipation of how good this was going to be. "Did you want some Sara?" She asked smiling and meeting Sara's eyes for the first time since she had arrived.

"No thanks, I just ate," Sara replied as she cringed at the cheese noodles that slopped into Lindsey's bowl as the young girl dug in as soon as her mother stepped away.

"Too bad Sara, this is the one and only time she has not burned the Kraft Dinner." Lindsey replied as Catherine turned around scowling at her daughter and flicked some soap suds at Lindsey playfully from the sink. "Hey! I'm just telling the truth,"

Sara stifled a laugh not picturing Catherine as the type of mother who does not know how to cook. She always seemed so sure and an expert at every aspect in her life, it was quite ironic that the one thing she did not know how to do well was cook a decent meal.

"Sadly," Catherine stated turning off the tap and drying her hands on the towel beside her, "She is right, I am not a good cook at all."

"More like horrible cook, and even then I'm being generous," Lindsey mumbled under her breath as she shoveled more cheese noddles into her mouth. Sara could help but laugh this time.

"Making fun of me are you?"

Both of them shook their heads and then silently giggled to one another as Catherine just rolled her eyes tossing the towel back on the counter and walking back over to the island. "Seems I did a good job this time."

"Yes mom, this is the best KD ever!" Lindsey replied with a heavy hint of sarcasm as Catherine snatched the bowl out from under Lindsey, "Hey!" she squealed as Catherine shoveled a few bites into her mouth.

"Hey, I really did outdo myself tonight." Catherine replied as Sara and Lindsey broke into laughter, Catherine returning the bowl to her daughter with a smile on her face.

"What movie are we watching tonight?" Lindsey asked, taking another mouthful of KD.

"Uh, Linds, don't you have some homework that needs to be finished." Lindsey looked up at her mother with the "oh don't you dare" stare. "Don't give me that look, you knew the agreement, you finish your homework and then you can watch a movie with Sara and I."

"But I am done."

"Linds, I saw your text books open and the half sentences done on your essay due Monday." Catherine replied as she walked back over to the stove and turned it off before the house catches on fire.

"Aw mom, come on, I'm almost done the essay, and I mean I only have five pages left to write," Lindsey pleaded.

"You knew the deal Linds, I'll be coming up there to, to check on you and make sure you are actually doing your work and not on that Facebook talking with your friends."

Lindsey just sighed and finished eating her dinner in silence, knowing that she was not going to win this battle. Her mother was not the easiest person to persuade into changing her mind. Once Lindsey had even tried to bribe her with money and then doing all the chores for the week and it still didn't work.

"How about this, once you're done half of your essay you can watch a movie with your mom and I? Give you a little bit of break." Sara suggested seeing the stone glare she was getting from Catherine meddling in her motherly role as Lindsey's eyes shot up from the bowl.

"Can I mom, please!" Lindsey begged, she was practically jumping up and down on her stool with excitement.

Catherine sighed, "Fine, after your done your supper you go straight up their and hit the books, and not literally this time Linds. I don't want you to be like me and not do well in school, education is a privilege and should not be taken lightly," She stated scowling at Sara for presenting the idea of negotiation to her already very talkative eight-year old daughter.

"But you have an awesome job and you didn't do your homework, why can't I have that gene?" Lindsey moaned.

"You know what I had to do to get where I am now, and I don't want you making the same mistake."

"Yes mom, I get it. Don't start the movie without me!" Lindsey rushed to put her bowl in the sink and scampered upstairs leaving Sara and Catherine alone in the kitchen. Catherine did her daughters dishes, like she did every night. It was nothing new that her daughter could not do the one bowl and fork she dirtied and put it back in the cupboard before scampering off.

Sara sat silently on the stool, watching Catherine as she cleaned up the rest of her spotless kitchen. "Sorry for getting in the middle of that." She stated now that they were alone and knew she had upset Catherine a bit.

Catherine walked over to the other side of the island, grabbing Sara's hand and squeezing it tight. "It's okay, just next time, check with me first." She stated and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Catherine could sense that Sara was worried that Lindsey would come back downstairs and catch them in the middle of everything. "Don't worry, she only leaves her room to pee and to eat. She's done both already so she'll be good for awhile," Catherine replied with a smile and Sara laughed.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you become a Criminalist anyways?" Sara asked.

"Well, after I dropped out of high school in the thirteenth grade I went and worked at the French Palace for a few years as a stripper. While there I met my ex-husband Eddie who was the club owner and I ended up getting pregnant with Lindsey. Obviously my stripping career was done so I took the opportunity to night courses at WLVU, get my high school diploma and take a course that interested me. When Linds was little and Eddie and I had gotten our divorce I went back to stripping a couple nights a week for some extra cash but then Grissom saw me. He was there about a case, actually one of my friends was murdered and he was there to question us ladies. I helped him with a murder and he said he's hire me after I was done my schooling, and he kept his word." Catherine explained, shaking off some horrible memories of her past.

"I-I, sorry, I didn't meant to upset you. Wow, you sure do live a very interesting life in comparison to me." Sara replied as she smiled, running her fingers over Catherine's cheeks, making her look into her brown eyes. "I don't judge you for your past Catherine. I hope you know that."

Catherine looked up and smiled, kissing the inside of Sara's hand, "Now I do, and thank-you." She replied leaning in and kissing Sara on the lips.

Later that evening, after Lindsey was done her half of the essay, bringing it downstairs to show her mother and prove that she was ready for a break and a movie. She had decided to choose My Girl, which made all three of them cry in the end. Lindsey then went upstairs, tired and sad leaving the two women alone in the living room once more. They were not too tired yet, and Sara had a couple of glasses of red wine she needed to work off before leaving so they decided to put in another movie, more adult appropriate. Sara choose the movie this time, and since they had done sad and sappy she went with an action movie to hopefully keep them awake. She popped in _The Taking of Pellam 123_ having a crush on Travolta ever since she saw him in _Grease_ when she was ten years old. Sara and Catherine were both curled up under a blanket on the soft couch, Sara's head resting on Catherine's lap. Both of them, no matter how exciting the movie was, were able to keep their eyes open for more than a few moments. It was almost midnight with empty bowls of popcorn scattered across the floor and an almost empty wine bottle on the coffee table with two glasses.

"Sara, do you even have an idea of what is going on in this movie anymore?" Catherine whispered as she twirled her fingers through Sara's brown hair trying to focus on the screen in front of her.

"I stopped paying attention about forty minutes ago." Sara replied, her eyes closed and her whole body relaxed.

"So you mean since the movie even started?"

"Exactly,"

Catherine would have thrown a pillow at her but the only pillow remaining on the couch was propping up her own head and there was no way she was going to get rid of that at the moment. She wanted to leave the living room and bring Sara upstairs to her bedroom where they could go to sleep together under the covers and hold each other until they dozed off, which based on how groggy they were down here it would not take long.

"I don't think you should drive home tonight Sara, you've had too much to drink." Catherine said stating the obvious based on the disarray of the living room.

"I agree but where am I going to stay? I mean I guess I could just cab it back to my place." Sara suggested shifting her body on the couch as she sat up, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Why don't you just stay over here tonight in my bed. We could sleep in tomorrow and then I'll make you some breakfast."

"What about Lindsey?"

"It's Sunday, she'll be sleeping until noon hour anyways and she won't come into my room for anything now that I didn't work tonight." Catherine explained stroking the side of Sara's face, "It would mean a lot to me if you stayed," she whimpered, giving her best puppy dog eyes she could while being intoxicated.

Sara remained silent for a few moments thinking about all the options at her disposal. She desperately wanted to stay here with the one she loved however, on the other side she did not want to spring any more surprises on Lindsey. Especially one of getting caught in the same bed as her mother, that was almost unavoidable the day before. She gazed up at Catherine, catching the sulked look on her face and the bright blue eyes she usually had were dimmed with fear. It was obvious it would break her heart if she did not stay the night. After all, she is just looking out for a co-worker, she had, had too much to drink after all.

"Alright," Sara said and smiled, "I'll stay, but on one condition," She replied.

"What's that?" Catherine asked getting up from the couch and turning off the television before they stumbled up to the bedroom.

"I make the breakfast tomorrow instead of you."

* * *

T.B.C.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

The following morning had arrived a little too quickly for Catherine, mainly because she had left her curtains open from the previous day and forgot to close them before sliding under the covers with Sara at almost one in the morning. The desert sun was out on full blast today, glaring into Catherine's bedroom as she groggily sighed, flipping over and peaking at her alarm clock through the slits of her eyes. Six in the morning, how wonderful. She closed her eyes, flopping her head back on her pillow and cursing the open blinds and pounding headache that was thumping in her skull. Somehow she had made it to her bed last night, everything was a little fuzzy after she offered Sara her bed once more to spend the night in. She knew that red wine always had this effect on her and could tell by the passed out mass beside her under the covers it did the same magic on Sara.

Catherine pulled the covers up so that they were over her head, blocking the glare that was coming off her windows and noticed that she was naked once more in bed with Sara. She couldn't exactly remember if anything had happened between the two of them once they got back upstairs, but it was evident that they had at least had the sense to take off their clothes before climbing under the covers. She was going to have to get some more sleep at some point today if she wanted to be coherent for her shift tonight. Thinking about work brought back memories of Holly which made her heart clench at the memory. Then she thought of Grissom and the guys and how she and Sara almost got caught red handed in the shower stalls at work. Catherine smiled at the memory of her and Sara being so intimate, of them being on the verge of getting caught kissing one another or worse. The fact that it was a possibility for them to get caught fueled Catherine even more that day, and was making her have more sexual thoughts running through her mind at the moment. Her daughter could walk in on them at any moment, and that fear made Catherine crave Sara even more.

Catherine removed the covers from her naked body and sighed as she looked over at Sara once more, seeing she was still passed out, her hands cradled under her head as if she was praying. She was breathing deeply, her whole body relaxed, in a suspended state of awe. She could watch Sara all day, her beauty radiated through her even with her eyes closed and her mind asleep. Catherine gently reached out with her right hand and stroked the side of her face, pushing away a few strands of hair. Sara didn't move a muscle, totally unaware of the older blonde's advances, for the moment. Catherine wedged her body closer to Sara's, resting her right hand on the woman's curved hips that looked as if she was sculpted by an artist and kissed her lips softly feeling how dried out they were from the stale air and wine. Sara let out a moan from deep inside her throat, her eyes still closed as Catherine smiled knowing she had awoken her sleeping beauty. She leaned in once more, giving her a full on kiss, her hands caressing the milky skin of her hip as Sara returned the kiss with one of her own, lifting one hand and reaching out to Catherine's body blind since her eyes were still closed. Catherine pressed herself against the brunette knowing that she was thinking that exact same thing and deepened her kiss, running her tongue along Sara's lips looking for an entry point. Sara gladly accepted as she pressed herself as close as she could to Catherine, the heat from their bodies colliding initiated under the sheets as they both let out moans and whimpers for more than just kisses.

Sara was the first to make a move as she moved her other hand that was under her head to Catherine's breasts, massaging them as the blonde moaned and panted louder with every kiss she delivered. She gently played with her nipples, feeling them get hard under her graceful touch as she wrapped one of her long, lanky legs over Catherine's thigh, bringing her in closer. She used this as leverage as she raised herself to be on top of the blonde, her eyes finally open to look at the goddess below. The sheets fell from Sara's shoulders as they pooled on the mattress, exposing her back to the desert sun. Catherine stared up at the brunette, her eyes transfixed on her perfect hourglass figure as her hands began to wander from her face down her neck, over her breasts and across her abdomen. With every feather like touch Sara's body shivered in response as if Catherine's fingertips were filled with electricity and her body was completing the circuit. Sara straddled Catherine, pinning her thighs to the bed as she moved her fingers down between Catherine's breasts, past her already hardened nipples and down to her navel. She bent down, her brown mop of hair wisping in front of her face, hiding it from the blonde as she kissed her toned stomach with butterfly kisses causing Catherine to giggle.

"I love that sound," Sara whispered as she kept making a trail of kisses along Catherine's stomach, across her hips and over her C-section scar once more hearing the older blonde giggle more and louder. "Shh, you'll wake up Lindsey." She scolded

"It doesn't matter," Catherine replied as she grabbed Sara's cheek, tilting her head up so she could stare into her brown chasms of eyes once again, "I love you Sara, and I want you, all of you right now." She whispered reaching up and kissing the brunette hard on the lips.

Sara was more than happy to oblige as she let go of Catherine's hands, bringing them to her lips and kissing the backs of them gently to tell her that she was going to get what she had been craving for so long. She then sat back, her hair falling once more behind her shoulders, tangled in a mess of brown and golden locks that fell to just below her bust line. She moved quickly, yet gracefully with her hands as they guided over Catherine's smooth abdomen, working their way between her thighs. She closed her eyes and heard Catherine gasp as she found her sweet spot that was wet and awaiting her arrival. Catherine bit her lip as she felt Sara moving around inside of her, hitting all the right spots with her fingers, making her feel whole once more. When she was unable to take it any more she screamed and released at the same time, unable to contain the love she had for Sara any longer. She didn't care who overheard, who knew, she wanted it to be known to Sara that this is what she did to her, this is how much control she had over her.

Sara giggled herself, removing her fingers as she brought them to her lips and licked them clean, tasting Catherine for the first time. She then smiled, rolling over on the bed and staring up at the ceiling, unable to contain the events that had just happened once more between her and this blonde goddess. Catherine flipped over to be on her stomach, her blonde hair falling in front of her face, hiding the blush that was creeping across her cheeks from what just took place. Sara looked over and smiled, brushing a few locks away and kissing Catherine on the cheek feeling how heated she had become.

"I love you Catherine, I hope that all was to your satisfaction?" Sara replied with a snicker.

"Did you not hear me scream? No woman has ever done that to me before...ever."

Catherine broke her eyes from Sara, casting them down towards her now soiled sheets from their sexual endeavors on a Sunday morning at 6AM. She was ashamed to admit that to Sara, ashamed that she had never experience the type of love and connection the brunette was able to give her in only a few short days of them being together. She was older, she had a child, why was it that a younger, intelligent, beautiful woman had to show her the ways of something she should be an expert in?

"You are not alone in that Catherine, I have never been this open with a partner before, never been so, caught up in the moment." Sara replied watching Catherine perk her interest once more. "I love you Catherine, and I know that this love is true." She admitted kissing the blonde once more.

"We need to talk to Grissom, we need to convince him to have you stay with us in Las Vegas."

"I couldn't agree more."

"I also think, it's time that I come clean with him as well." Catherine said as she sat up, bringing the covers up with her to cover her naked body. "About everything." She reiterated as fear coated her voice.

"If you tell him how you feel he will assume that you are letting me stay here because you are sexually attracted to me. I know that is part of it, but we need to tell me how I would be an asset to the team and more than just being eye candy." Sara replied as Catherine smiled at her form of humor. " You know, we can always use the card of me being a replacement for Holly. I know Holly is still a touchy subject for you but it would make the most sense, plus my presence in the lab was already construed as that from that guy in the DNA lab...what's his name?"

"Greg, Greg Sanders the guy who was trying to pick you up." Catherine replied, as a hint of jealousy sparkled in her eyes.

"Catherine Willows are you jealous?"

"No, not at all." Sara smiled as Catherine smiled back, hardly able to suppress the giggle that was itching to escape. "Okay, yeah maybe a little."

Sara grabbed the pillow and flung it at the blonde as they both erupted into a fit of laughter. "You have nothing to worry about, as you can tell I am immune to men hitting on me, I couldn't even remember his name."

Catherine laughed harder as she threw the pillow back at Sara as she giggled, both of them having a full on pillow fight in the wee hours of the morning as adults. "I like your laugh," Catherine confessed as Sara stopped and smiled, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Also, Grissom and I were friends, well still are friend, before becoming colleagues." Sara explained getting them back to the task at hand, "It shouldn't be too hard for us to convince him my services are needed."

"You knew Grissom before you came here? Well I'll be damned, the unsocial butterfly finds me my perfect mate." Catherine stated as Sara giggled again. "But you are right Sara; I shouldn't tell him about our relationship, at least not yet. We'll just be general about the whole situation. I mean come one, its Grissom; he's the least judgmental person I know."

"Now, on to the business of Lindsey. You need to tell her babe, I mean I'll be there if you need me to be, but I think we've sorta already let the cat out of the bag don't you think?"

Catherine sighed as she flopped back on the bed, the mattress shaking beneath her. "I know, I know I have too. I mean, I would rather a chance to explain myself then have her catch us kissing or something, God I don't know what type of reaction and trust issue that would arise from her if that were ever to happen." She explained, closing her eyes her headache still pounding away in her head.

"Why don't we sit down this afternoon with Lindsey and break the news to her. She is a very intelligent and mature girl, she takes after her mother of Christ sakes, and she will figure it out eventually, or maybe already has and is waiting for her mother to no longer be afraid."

Catherine pulled Sara down into her arms once more and gave her a kiss. "What would I do without you in my life?" she asked kissing her on the neck, breathing in the scent of her raspberry shampoo and red wine.

"Without me it would probably be boring, dull and disdainful," Sara replied with a smile and kissed her lover once more.

Both women decided to skip the late morning nap, hoping to catch up on some sleep on their own terms later on before going into the Lab that evening. Instead they each took separate showers, Sara going first since she kindly reminded Catherine she was to make breakfast this morning. That was after all her deal for spending the night. Plus, this way there would be less chance of Lindsey catching them together. No matter how strong the urge to lather Sara in suds under a spray of hot water itched in the dark, dirty confines of Catherine's mind. She quickly shook away those thoughts and ran her fingers through her shampoo filled hair, finishing up her shower in record time knowing that by now Lindsey would be awake and was hopefully downstairs with Sara.

She turned off the taps, brushing the shower curtain that was white with pink and purple flowers decorated across it in a haphazard pattern out of the way. It was obvious that her daughter had chosen the scheme of the bathroom. Everything was bright pink and purple. Catherine would have preferred more soothing, relaxing colours, but trying to explain that to a twelve year old was hopeless now a days. She wrapped her body in a big fluffy white towel, stepping onto the cool tiled floor that was slick with steam. She walked over to the vanity and used her palm to wipe away the access steam on the mirror taking a good look at herself. Catherine at least felt human now that she had washed away the wine and sex she had consumed over the past twelve hours. Her blue eyes sparkled once more and the bags under her eyes were almost gone. She grabbed the small hand towel on the rack beside her and ran it through her thick, blonde mop of hair getting the dampness out of the ends. When she was dried off and had applied moisturizer to her skin, taking a few moments to reminisce about Sara's lips that were touching parts of her body moments ago, she scurried back into her bedroom. Catherine threw on a pair of sweat pants and a tank top, deciding it was too early to dress formal. She ran a brush through her wet hair, feeling it already begin to dry in her humid bedroom. The sunlight was still hammering down on her window as if it was trying to melt it and gain entrance to the house. She decided to put her hair up for now, taking it off her face and allowing it to dry naturally. She was already sweating and turning on the hair dryer would just make everything worse. Catherine did one last quick check in her vanity mirror before taking off downstairs as sweet smells of breakfast lingered up into the hallway.

"Something smells delicious." Catherine commented as she rounded the corner into the kitchen with a smile on her lips. She saw that her daughter was sitting at her usual spot at the island with a plate awaiting the arrival of her food. Sara was still over the stove flipping and omelet in the frying pan.

"I haven't even tasted her food yet and Sara is already a better cook then you mom," Lindsey stated as Catherine came over and ruffled her blonde hair.

"What your mouth little one, when I know you won't burn the house down I'll get you cooking instead of me."

Sara turned around and smiled at Catherine as she plopped the omelet down on Lindsey's plate, it was cooked to perfection, yellow and golden brown along the edges. Catherine could see that Sara had put some vegetables in the omelet as specks of green from onion and red from tomatoes were noticeable. She snickered, knowing that Lindsey was not going to enjoy this. Sara the placed some crispy pieces of bacon her the girls plate and told her to dig in.

"Actually mom, I helped Sara make breakfast today." Lindsey said as she looked at the omelet unsure if it was safe to eat or not.

"Is that so? What did you do?" Catherine asked as she rounded the island going to the fridge to pour herself a glass of orange juice as Sara went to cracking eggs and making another omelet.

"I made the bacon" Lindsey cut off a piece of egg and shoved it in her mouth, Catherine waited for her sometimes very opinionated daughter to say she did not like taste and ask for something else. "Yum! This is really good Sara!" She chided as she dug in, Catherine rolling her eyes at her daughter's dramatic scene.

"Thanks, I figured you were adult enough to try a vegetarian meal. Well, part of it anyways." Sara said as she flipped the omelet in the skillet, the eggs sizzling on the hot cookware.

"You're a Vegetarian?" Catherine asked as she shut the door to the fridge and returned on the stool beside her daughter. She tried to sneak a piece of bacon off of her plate but her daughter slapped her hand away with cat like reflexes, never missing a beat to shoveling her face full of Sara's omelet.

"Yeah, have been for five years now. It was a hard lifestyle change, but in the end it was well worth it." Sara slid the omelet onto the plate beside her on the counter with ease. She then put some bacon on the plate and turned around, bringing it to Catherine as if she was a waitress at a restaurant. "Your breakfast is served."

Catherine looked up at Sara, her eyes lingering on her dressed in her jeans and low cut tank top. She was reaching over the counter to the point that Catherine could see right down her shirt, obviously this was the reaction she was gong for. "Thank-you." She whispered as her hand rested on Sara's for a moment, maybe a moment too long as Lindsey's wandering eyes were able to see the exchange between them.

"Uh, mom?" She stated, snapping Catherine back to the kitchen as Sara quickly pulled her hand away from Catherine's and turned around, busying herself with making a third and final omelet. "Mom, are you okay?" Lindsey asked as she tore off a piece of bacon, dunking it in the ketchup pool on the side of her plate.

"I'm fine Linds," Catherine muttered as she cut off a piece of the omelet and savored the taste in her mouth. Sara really was a good cook. "Yum, Lindsey you are right, Sara is an amazing chef. Maybe we need to hire her." She said as her daughter giggled, her mind now wandered from the exchange that just happened between her mother and Sara.

"So, what's going on between you two. You're both acting...different." Lindsey said as she finished off what was left on her plate. When she looked up both adults eyes were glued to her in shock. "What? did you seriously not think I didn't notice what just happened."

Sara looked from Lindsey to Catherine, seeing that she had gone as pale as a ghost. She wanted desperately to say something, but she didn't want to step on Catherine's toes once more, especially when it came to this particular subject with her daughter. That was when she smelt something burning. Sara turned around and noticed that she had burnt her omelet. Of course the cook always ruins their own meal when cooking for others.

"Shit!" Sara exclaimed as she turned off the element to the stove and tossed the omelet in the garbage. "Well, I wasn't that hungry anyways." She muttered hoping to get a rise out of Catherine, a smile even, but that didn't seem to work.

Catherine rested her knife and fork on the side of her plate, refusing to look up for a few moments knowing that her daughter was not going to let this go until she got her answers. "Linds, I-I've started to see someone." She muttered looking up from her plate and into her daughter beautiful blue eyes. Sara kept her back to the mother and daughter, keeping her mouth shut but physically there for support if need be.

"Seeing someone? Who?" Lindsey asked confused.

"Sara."

Sara slowed her motions of cleaning up down trying to focus on the words that were going to next be uttered by either Willow's woman or the argument that might ensue. Her knuckles were going white from holding onto the counter so tight as she hoped there wasn't a flush on her cheeks when she turned around. For now she kept her back to them, listening and trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

"Well duh, I mean she was here for a sleepover, you guys are friends." Lindsey replied as Sara could feel Catherine smile at how simple everything was in her mind.

"No, sweetheart, I mean Sara and I, well -" Catherine hesitated and looked up to Sara hoping for her support or guiding words in all of this.

"Your mother and I are seeing one another, as in dating Lindsey." Sara cut in, turning around from the counter and seeing the relief in Catherine's eyes.

Lindsey was quite for a moment, looking from one woman to the other. She could tell her mother was worried about telling her daughter of her dating Sara instead of a boy, like most of the other mom's at her school but she knew there was something more than friendship between her and Sara. She smiled, a spark radiating in her eyes. "It's okay mom, I already knew." She said and giggled.

Both Sara and Catherine sat dumbfounded for a few moments. "Y-you knew?" Sara stuttered.

"Well, I mean I had a good idea about it. I knew the story you were telling me in the bathroom when I accidentally walked in on you was a total lie as to why you were here. Then, you spent the following night and in the morning I heard you two giggling like school girls my age. I wasn't a hundred percent sure until I saw that little hand action on the counter a few minutes ago, that's when I knew you guys were in love."

Lindsey got up off her stool and walked over to her mother, giving her a large embrace around her abdomen, closing her eyes and resting her head their for a moment, feeling Catherine reach down and run her fingers through her blonde locks, "I love you mom, no matter what. I'm happy you found someone that makes you just as happy as you make me." She stated and let go, scampering out of the kitchen and back up to her room.

Sara waited to hear loud music or a door slamming and when there was silence instead for a few moments Sara believed it was safe enough for her to go over to Catherine who was now sobbing into her plate of omelet and bacon. "Hey, shh, it's okay." Sara soothed as she embraced the older woman, letting her sob into her shoulder as she ran her hands through her hair.

"My baby is all grown up," Catherine muttered as she lifted her head off Sara's shoulder. "She's eight years old and she acts like she is twenty, but in a good sense. I expected her to be upset at me, say I wasn't normal or that she wouldn't love me. Instead she surprised me, she even figured it out foe Christ sakes."

"Well, we weren't exactly that discreet about it." Sara said as she wiped Catherine's tears from her cheeks. "Cath, your job consumes your life and she knows that, and she understands that she is not forgotten or not replaced. Your job is demanding, it is all hours of the night and it may seem that you are missing out on all the important aspects of Lindsey's life, but you're not. For her to be as mature and adult about monumental things, such as revealing us being a couple then you are obviously doing everything right. She'll never forget the risks, and the sacrifices you have made to make her life that much better. She's happy for you baby, so be happy for yourself, for once." She preached as she kissed Catherine on the cheek.

"How is it Sara that you know so much about children and motherhood, when you don't have your own children?"

"I've had a lot of practice with pets, and well my mother was not the best role model, growing up in foster homes tends to show me how bad stuff can get and you quickly learn what is and is not correct in raising a child."

Catherine could see that the past childhood Sara had endured was not something that she wanted to exactly share with anyone, especially someone she has just entered a relationship with. She kissed Sara once more, deep and passionate on the lips as a silent thank-you for everything that she has done for her and the support she offered when she needed it the most. "I love you Sara, more than ever." She breathed kissing her neck.

"I love you too Catherine, would you care to help me clean up the kitchen?" Sara responded.

"It's the least I can do for the chef."

* * *

T.B.C.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

The rest of the day went by slowly, with Lindsey barricaded in her room, her music blaring through her closed bedroom door. Every once and awhile Catherine went to check on her and saw that she was busy doing the rest of her essay singing along to her favourite songs. Catherine smiled seeing that her daughter was taking this new turn of events much better then she had expected. While Lindsey was preoccupied elsewhere Catherine went down stairs and took a power nap, getting a bit more rest before she had to go in for her first shift since Holly died.

After what seemed like too short of a time frame for a nap she heard her cell phone ringing on the coffee table beside her. She groaned, reaching out with her arm with her eyes still closed as she searched blindly for the phone. When she grabbed it she flipped it open, seeing it was Grissom.

"Hello," she moaned into the phone her eyes still closed not wanting her fantasies of Sara to slip away.

"Cat? Is that you?" Grissom asked, worry coating his tone.

"Yeah, sorry you awoken me from a power nap, need me to come in early?"

"Uh no, actually. I was wondering if you wanted to meet me for a coffee before shift?"

Catherine sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes and glancing at the clock. "Uh, yeah sure, I'll meet you at the usual place in about thirty minutes?" She stated as she got her body off the couch that was achy, yet her headache from the red wine had finally disappeared.

"Sounds good, see you in a few." Grissom replied and hung up as Catherine did the same.

"Linds!" Catherine called as she could still hear her daughter's music reverberating off the walls. She sighed and ascended the stairs, each step seeming like a a feet for her sore muscles from sleeping curled up on the couch. "Hey Linds," Catherine said as she knocked on her daughters door, opening it slightly.

Lindsey whipped her head around from in front of her computer screen, quick flashes of her closing whatever she was looking at skidded across the screen as she turned off her CD player that was beside her. "Uh mom, hey, did I wake you?" She asked closing up her notebook with a nervous smile.

"Who were you talking to?" Catherine asked as she leaned against the door frame knowing her daughter was hiding something.

"No one, I was just finishing my essay." Lindsey waved the pieces of paper in front of her moms face. "See!"

"Alright, fine." Catherine sighed not having the energy to fight. "I'm meeting Grissom before work, can you call your Aunt tell her to come get you in about twenty minutes please." She explained.

"Sure, is everything okay?"

Catherine smiled, "Everything is great. Get your stuff packed and don't forget to call your Aunt."

"I won't. Mom, can you ask Uncle Grissom to help me with my science fair project?" Lindsey asked as her mother disappeared into her room.

"Sure as long as you don't mind it being about bugs." Catherine called as Lindsey giggled.

"Not at all, plus then maybe I'll have a chance at winning with an Entomologist as my lab partner."

Fifteen minutes later Catherine was showered, dressed and ready to go meet Grissom. Her sister came by and picked up Lindsey a few minutes ago. She gave her daughter a kiss good bye making sure she had everything she needed for school tomorrow and told her she would see her after school. Catherine grabbed her purse and car keys off the side counter, slipping on her dress shoes and out the front door, locking it behind her. It was still overly hot out, even with the sun beginning to set leaving the sky in a blaze of oranges and red. She hopped into her truck, putting on her sunglasses as she checked herself in the review mirror one last time. Catherine used to be a woman who was obsessed with her appearance, an old habit from her days at the French Palace. Today she decided to apply some make up, brightening up her eyes and cheek bones. Her blonde hair was pulled back with a clip, out of her face as a few stray strands fell naturally along her shoulders. Her lips were deep with red as she took a deep breath and started her truck.

She turned left out of her subdivision and began the route she took to get to the coffee shop the whole graveyard team frequented in the wee hours of the morning for breakfast after a grueling shift. It had been about a month since the whole team was there, but it was only a few days ago she last stepped foot in the coffee shop. That was where she took Holly after her run in with the convenience store clerk. Catherine took the turns, stopping as she was to, all mind numbing functions as her own mind was wandering off to her time with Sara this weekend and how nice it was to have found someone again.

Catherine turned into the parking lot to the coffee shop, the lot was pretty full since it was dinner hour and there were multiple cop cars around, a famous place for everyone in Law Enforcement so it seemed. She spotted Grissom's black, state issued, Tahoe and was able to park two spots down from it. Catherine exited her truck, locking it behind her as she quickly walked across the parking lot and entered the diner. She removed her sun glasses, eying the patrons at the tables when she saw Grissom at a small two seater table in the back corner studying the menu. She smiled at how socially awkward he looked in comparison to everyone else in the busy little restaurant as she went over to him, his eyes never breaking from the menu.

"Some tough decision you must be making." Catherine chided as she slid into her chair, draping her purse over the back of it and smiling at her boss and best friend.

Grissom looked up at the sound of Catherine's voice and smirked. "It is when it is not the breakfast menu." He replied and Catherine shrugged, agreeing that she had never been to this place except in the wee hours of the morning.

"I thought this place had twenty-four hour breakfast?" She snickered seeing her boss was not very pleased with that last remark, "Sorry, you're just such an easy target sometimes."

Grissom put the menu down folding his hands in front of him. "Well, I was going to ask how you were doing but it appears you are back to your old self." He quipped as Catherine narrowed her eyes at him, the waitress interrupting her before she could rebuttal.

"What can I get ya?" She asked, smacking her lips as she was chewing bubble gum. She looked no older than eighteen with high cheek bones, green eyes and brown hair pulled back in a high pony tail that swayed with every step she took.

"I'll have just a coffee, black." Catherine stated as she smiled at the young, attractive girl before her.

"I'll have the steak, medium rare with a baked potato." Grissom replied handing her the menu.

"You got it." The young waitress replied, snatching the plastic from Grissom's hands so fast Catherine thought she drew blood and scampered off back to the kitchen.

"Charming." Catherine muttered looking back at Grissom and smiling, "Well, if you must know, I have been doing a lot better thank-you. I spent some quality time with Lindsey over the past couple of days which has been long overdue and gave me a chance to recharge my batteries, so to speak."

The waitress returned with Catherine's coffee as their conversation was once again interrupted for a few moments while she poured the black liquid into the white coffee mug, the steam rising as she poured. She then turned back, almost running head first into a customer who was trying to get to the bathrooms and almost ended up with hot coffee spilled down the front of him. The young woman sighed, shaking her head and left once more to attend to her other patrons.

"And Sara." Grissom stated as Catherine's eyes darted up from her coffee mug and into her bosses.

"What about her?" She asked, her nerves beginning to rattle as her voice shook.

"Well, you were hanging out with her too weren't you?"

Catherine wasn't sure how to respond to that. She told Sara she wouldn't tell Grissom about their relationship but it appeared that he was already aware something was going on between them. She averted her eyes from Grissom's, taking a hefty swig of her coffee before responding. "When we left the lab she came over for a drink and to talk, nothing more." Catherine replied hoping that would curve his investigative blood.

"That's not what I heard." Grissom said taking a sip of his own coffee, hiding the smile on his lips.

"What exactly _did_ you hear Grissom?"

"That you and Sara are, more than just friends. If you know what I am hinting at."

Catherine just about chocked on her next mouthful of coffee. She knew her cheeks were reddening more than the colour of the blush she applied earlier. Grissom was sometimes more of a mystery then she believed. How on earth was he able to judge that she and Sara were a couple, that they spent the weekend together and above all that she was attracted to women. That was when it dawned on her.

"Lindsey." She stated as Grissom nodded his head with a smile on his lips. "What did that little brat tell you Griss, spill." Catherine asked irritated that her own daughter betrayed her trust like that.

"Cat, first off I want you to know I am happy for you. Secondly I promised your daughter I wouldn't speak a word about what happened this weekend to any one in exchange for something." Grissom explained.

"You were the one she was talking to before I came here weren't you? That's why you called me here, to get me to confess everything isn't it?"

"Yes, I was the one she was talking to, and actually I had planned to call you anyways, I hadn't heard from you since the Holly case, I wanted to make sure you were okay, you took that one pretty personal."

The waitress had finally returned with Grissom's food as a plate of steaming potato and a juicy steak appeared before his eyes. At the sight of the food Catherine's stomach began to rumbled as she asked the waitress to bring her a garden salad. The young girl nodded her head, giving a smile seeing that she didn't mind being told an order afterwards, well at least from some people and then she disappeared again. Catherine shook her head away from thoughts of the waitress knowing that she was too young and obviously not attracted to her. Plus, she had Sara and now she had Grissom who knew everything from her eight year old blabber mouth of a daughter.

"What did Lindsey ask you to do to keep this all quite?" Catherine asked, changing the subject from Holly.

"To help her with her science project." Grissom replied as he cut a piece of steak and plopped it in his mouth.

Catherine rolled her eyes and sighed, "Figures,"

"Catherine, you and I have been friends for almost ten years. You know I don't engage in the water cooler gossip, your secret is safe with me I promise. I just wish I didn't have to find out through your very intelligent, persuasive daughter."

Catherine sighed as she closed her eyes wishing this was not happening at the moment. The waitress returned one last time with Catherine's salad and in her other hand was a tall glass of water. "I figured you'd want something besides coffee to wash down the greens." She stated and smiled with a wink before turning to Grissom and asking how his food was. He gave the thumbs up since his mouth was full of steak and watched the interaction between the two women.

"Thanks," Catherine stated as she smiled at the brunette, imagining that it was Sara instead of this young attractive girl before she left the table once more.

"Well, I'll be damned, don't they call that being a cougar?" Grissom joked as Catherine gave him an ice cold glare.

"Watch it Bug Man, don't think I don't have my own secrets of yours I could use at anytime too." Catherine snapped as she dug into her salad.

Grissom and Catherine remained silent for a few minutes, both of them enjoying their meals and wondering how to continue on this conversation. This was definitely not what Catherine was expecting when she decided on this coffee house meet and greet. Grissom decided he was the one to continue this, hopefully with some lightening news to get Catherine back on his good side. He cleared his throat before stating, "You two will make each other happy that much I know for sure, I can see it in your eyes Catherine. You love her don't you?"

"Yes," Catherine muttered, there was no point in holding back now.

Grissom smiled, "Great, I'm happy for you Catherine, really I am."

Catherine looked up from her salad and smiled at her best friend knowing he was sincere about everything he had said while they were here. "Thanks Gil," She said and began eating her salad once more.

Grissom continued his steak and baked potato, the rest of their time was enjoyed in a comfortable silence between two long time best friends.

* * *

T.B.C


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Catherine left the diner, heading straight to the lab from there, leaving Grissom in a heated argument over her new found relationship status with Sara, the only other female that was currently at the Crime Lab on the graveyard shift. She wasn't sure what made her more pissed off, the fact that he was asking such personal questions in a crowded diner that was frequented by cops 24/7 or the fact that he was asking personal questions to begin with. None of this seemed like the Grissom she had been best friends with for almost ten years, as he so nicely pointed out in the middle of their conversation. She unlocked her truck, forcefully opening her door and slamming it shut behind her as she let out a large sigh, sitting in the driver's seat, her head resting on the steering wheel and her eyes closed.

"What the hell are you thinking Willows," Catherine muttered under her breath.

How could she be so stupid? She was going to ring her daughter's neck when she got home and what the hell was she going to tell Sara about the turn of events that happened before she came in for her shift today. She had told her that their relationship was not going to define her getting hired at the lab or not, but now that Grissom knew he was going to feel obligated to hire Sara to make sure Catherine stays with her "special someone" as he so gracefully pointed out to her just before she stormed out of the diner, refusing to hear any more of his banter.

Why did she have to go and tell him that she loved Sara? What the hell was coursing through her mind when the questions started flying in all directions. How did you meet? Does she love you back? Are you going to keep seeing each other? What about Lindsey how does she feel about all of this. It was like she was being interrogated for a crime she didn't commit. The questions were too overwhelming, she refused to answer most of them and when he asked about Lindsey she scowled and replied with "You tell me since you are her seemed to have had long conversations about this already!" and stormed out of the diner almost on the verge of tears. She knew that Grissom wouldn't follow her, he was not the confrontational type so she was safe until she ran into him in the lab. This, was going to make for an interesting shift.

Catherine wiped her eyes, noticing she was crying recounting the events of the past fifteen minutes in her mind and gave herself a once over the mirror. She straightened her hair, wiped her eyes and let out a large sigh before turning on her engine. Before she left she checked her phone and noticed she had a message from Sara. Catherine flipped open the phone as a smile crossed her lips;

_I can't wait to see you in a few hours. I love you xx. S. _

That message made everything worth it. It made the awkwardness that was now forming between her and Grissom more bearable. It made Lindsey's acceptance and reach out through blackmail of science more reasonable. It even made going into work a joy, it was one great thing she had to look forward too in a job that was full of so much darkness and decay. Catherine quickly responded with an I love you back and closed the phone checking her review mirror and not seeing Grissom in sight. If he had any sense he would stay inside that diner until she had left the parking lot. She backed up out of her spot, turning onto the road and headed into work.

Another shift at the Las Vegas Crime Lab.

- Meanwhile -

Greg was perched up on his stool, his legs extended out and crossed, resting on the counter in the far corner of his lab. He had his music blaring as his blonde, spiked hair bobbed and weaved to the beat. He was on his break and was reading a magazine, well more like flipping through the pictures because no one ever read the articles in the Playboy magazines. His blue eyes that were glazed over were trained on the glossy and gorgeous pictures of one of the lingerie models in a pink lace bra and matching panties with stirrups for hoses that ran up her thin, caramel colours legs. Her hair was long and blonde, done up in two high pig tails with blue ribbons tied in a bow in each one. Her tongue ran across her luscious red lips and her eyes were full of seductive pleasure. In her right hand she held a teddy bear and her left was resting on her flat stomach, her fingers grazing the top of the pink underwear. Her name was Natalie and she was "America's Sweetheart" this month. Catherine always joked that if they ever did crack open Greg's head all that would come out would be T&A, and this was just proving her point. Greg was so entranced by Natalie's "come get me" stare that he did not even notice Warrick and Nick making a pit stop into his lab.

"Must be Natalie. " Nick stared nudging Warrick as he eyed the cover of the magazine.

Greg about fell out of his chair at the sound of another man's voice. "Jesus Nick! For a moment I thought you were Grissom. Don't ever scare me like that," Greg said as he shoved his magazine back into the drawer, keeping it for another rainy day. When he looked up at the guys he could see there was a reason for their visit and it wasn't about DNA. "Why are both of you smiling at me like the Joker from _Batman_?" He asked leaning back in his chair once more.

"We know what happened with you and a certain someone n the locker room last night." Warrick said as he leaned his muscular, six foot frame over the counter, his blue eyes focused on Greg. "A little somethin' somethin' in the shower stall."

"What?"

"Don't play us man, we saw it all and we've come to congratulate you on your victory. She must really have a thing for blondes." He said as he patted Greg on the back the smile never leaving his lips.

Greg looked from one guy to the next, "Did you guys breathe in a little too much fingerprint powder last night? I have no idea what either of you are talking about." He stated, "Although, if I think what I think you're thinking, damn I wish it was me."

"You mean, you didn't enjoy a midnight shower with Catherine?" Warrick asked.

"No, do you think I would have kept something as monumental as that locked up inside me, I'd be screaming it from the rooftops man!"

"You have a fair point Sanders. But, we saw her clothes and someone else's outside of the shower in a pile. Plus I heard someone else leave the shower room after we did. It had to of been you man," Nick harped.

"It sure the hell wasn't me, I mean guys, do you think I'd be gawking pinups like Natalie if I got my hands on Catherine Willows?" Greg stated and began to laugh, as both guys shrugged their shoulders. The young punk did have a point. Getting Catherine naked was like opening Pandora's Box, you never know what the hell will come out.

"Well if it wasn't you, and it wasn't us then there only leaves one person on the graveyard shift." Warrick said.

"Grissom," They all said in unison, as their smiles turned to frowns and they shuddered with disgust. This was one way they did not want to ever think of their boss.

"That is just so wrong on man, on so many levels." Nick said looking from Greg to Warrick. "I mean they're best friends, that is just a line you don't cross and Grissom, he would never ever do something like that in the lab, the guy doesn't even take showers here for Christ sakes let alone one with a woman, and Catherine of all people."

"I didn't think...it's impossible for it...there just has to be someone else, right?" Greg asked as they all turned and watched their boss walk down the hallway towards the break room. They followed his bull legged saunter and noticed Catherine was already there and so was the new girl Sara. "I thought Sara was leaving back to Frisco?" Greg asked distracted for a moment by the young brunette that he already tried and pitifully failed to hit on.

"Maybe they hired her to replace Holly? I mean, we do need the help." Warrick stated with a hint of callous in his voice. He had his fair share of run ins with Miss Sidle to last a life time especially after she grilled him with questions about Holly. If she was working with them now, he and her were going to have some choice words.

"Back to the issue at hand. We need to find out who the hell was in that shower with Cat." Nick stated bringing the men back on track.

"I think we have some investigating to do boys, I'm in if you guys are." Greg proposed as he leaned back in his chair folding his arms behind his head as a smile spread across his lips. They were going to get to the bottom of this no matter how hard they tried.

"Alright let's make this into a little wager, who ever find's out the truth wins 50 bucks plus buys the other guys breakfast for a week," Warrick said.

"Gotta make everything into a wager don't you?" Nick said as he shook hands with his buddy. Greg following suit.

"Gentlemen, let the games begin."

- Previously -

Grissom sat at the table in the diner dumbfounded as to what set Catherine Willows off to become the Incredible Hulk all of a sudden and almost upset her own food and his. All he asked were simple questions, but maybe asking about Lindsey was pushing it a little too far for the older blonde. He did regret what he said the moment they left his lips but it was too late. She gave him the stare that would have made Medusa run for the hills and stormed out of the diner and to her truck. The waitress returned moments later as Grissom paid for the food and apologized for his friends rude behavior. The young brunette smiled as her eyes looked almost sad, as if coming over to ask Catherine if she wanted anything else was the highlight of her shift. Grissom couldn't help but thing of seeing Sara when he looked at the waitress whose name was apparently Libby. He smiled thinking that Catherine had finally found her "special someone" a term he saw her cringe at when he said it. Secretly Grissom was cringing too, now knowing he would never get a chance with Catherine now.

He waited until he watched Catherine pull out of the parking lot, afraid that if he came into her line of vision while in a moving vehicle she was sure to go out of her way to hit him, possibly reverse and then do it again before exiting the parking lot. Once she was off on her way towards the lab Grissom went to his own State issued black Tahoe. He sat in the seat for a few moments and pondered what was the best course of action for the next eight possibly more hours being stuck in the same building as Catherine Willows and Sara Sidle. Grissom was already going to offer her Holly Gribbs position since the lab did need the extra body on the graveyard shift, no pun intended. However, there was also strict policies in place against fraternization in the workplace, one of the many excuses Grissom kept telling himself over and over again for never pursuing anything further than friendship with Catherine over the years. Obviously no one was away that Catherine even liked women, let alone was with Catherine and Grissom was not the type of person to kiss and tell. As long as they would be adult about the situation he did not see a cause for concern.

Just as he was about to start his engine his phone began to ring. Grissom looked down and saw that Sara was trying to call him. What perfect timing the woman has. Grissom rested his keys and answered, wanting to talk to her anyways and now was a good as time as any.

"Grissom." He stated as he stared out his review mirror seeing Libby attending other tables and the sad, sunken look on her face through the window.

"Hey Gil, it's Sara. Do you have a minute?" Sara's perky voice squawked through the speaker.

"Of course, I wanted to talk to you anyways. What's up?"

"Oh, well I was wondering if you had heard from Catherine at all today, I talked to Lindsey who said she was going for a coffee with you before shift."

Grissom rolled his eyes, "Oh, I talked to her alright, I don't want to sound too forward but I know about you and her." He replied waiting to hear backlash from another woman on this subject. There was silence on the line for a few moments, "Sara?" Grissom asked, making sure she did not loose connection.

"Oh...I, you know?" Sara asked dumbfounded and sounding like she was almost betrayed.

"Yeah, Lindsey told me, well more asked to talk to me about something and to help you stay here in Vegas, in exchange for helping her with her Science Fair Project. Catherine didn't tell me if that's what you're worried about."

"No, no I'm not worried about that. I-I'm more worried that our relationship has hurt my chances in getting hired by the LVPD and having to leave."

Grissom sighed, "Sara, no that's why I wanted to talk to you, even before Lindsey came to me. I wanted to offer her Holly's position on the graveyard shift. You are more than qualified, you are already acquainted with the team. You'd be a great addition, and you and Catherine is just an added bonus." He explained hoping that would get a rise out of the brunette.

"Really? You're offering me a job?" Sara replied, she was trying to contain her excitement but it was nearly impossible when you're dreams come true.

"Of course. See you at the lab in thirty minutes. We'll get all the paperwork squared away and you can start tonight."

"Excellent, thanks Griss. I'll see you in thirty." Sara replied and hung up, Grissom following suit.

If there was the one and only thing that could get Catherine back on Grissom's good side it was just hiring her new lover. He smiled as he started his engine, heading towards the lab. Today was a day full of firsts for Gilbert Grissom.

- Grissom's Office -

When Grissom pulled into the always crowded parking lot of the Las Vegas Police Department he counted four black, state issued Tahoe's sitting in the far side of the lot. He knew his team was here and ready to work. He glanced at his watch seeing that he made it from the diner to the Lab in just under thirty minutes and shift would be starting on the hour. That would give him just enough time to get everything squared away with Sara and hopefully this all be a wonderful surprise for Catherine, assuming he doesn't run into her before hand. Grissom climbed out of his truck, walking across the lot to the glass double doors locking his car remotely before pushing open the door and greeting Judy their receptionist.

"Hello Dr. Grissom." Judy stated as she waved, her glasses fell down the bridge of her nose and her curled blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun.

"Good evening Judy. Any messages?" Grissom asked with a smile. Judy handed him over a pile of memo notes as he sighed, a Supervisors job was never done even after he had left the office for a day and a half.

"Also there is a Miss Sidle waiting in your office." Judy replied as the phone rang and she went to go answer it. Grissom nodded his gratitude and briskly walked to his office, hoping to avoid Catherine and the rest of his team for the moment.

Grissom was able to make it his office without an encounter, avoiding the break room on purpose, knowing that was where the usually all hung out before shift to unwind. He opened up the door to his office and smiled, greeting Sara who was sitting in the chair across from his desk. He slipped the memo's in his hand into the garbage can beside the door, not bothering to read a single one of them, and closed the door behind him. Gil walked over to his desk, seeing the sparkle of excitement in Sara's eyes.

"Hello Sara." Grissom stated as he took his seat, pulling out the forms from inside his desk that he needed Sara to sign before she could start shift. "Before we get started, I just have one quick question."

"Okay, what is it?" Sara asked as she turned to meet her future boss and colleague of years eyes. She could tell he was nervous about asking the question. "Is it about Catherine and I?" She pried, hoping to edge her boss on.

"Yes, you and her, you'll keep your relationship professional in the lab right? I don't need to worry about making you guys work alternate days or times of the day or anything. You know how strict the Lab can be about this type of thing Sara."

"I never thought for you to be the one to follow the rules Gil?"

Grissom sighed, "It's not me you have to worry about it's Conrad Ecklie. He is the supervisor for Day Shift and he is also the Sheriff's lap dog. You don't want to get him snooping around you and Catherine's business. He will exploit it and make it into a larger and more, uh, discriminatory, action then it needs to be." He explained, Grissom could feel his cheeks go red at his last comment.

Sara smiled. "Avoid Ecklie, check. Don't worry Grissom, you won't catch us kissing or anything in the lab, I promise."

"Good, sign and date the bottom of these two pages and once I had out assignments go see Judy at the front and get her to do you up a badge and fill out the rest of the paper work. I'm assuming you have your crime scene kit stocked and ready in you're truck. If I remember correctly you are quite the OCD type."

Sara reached for the pen as she scowled at her now boss. She signed and dated the two pages in front of her, not bothering to read them since they are the same pages she signed in San Fransisco five years ago. It talked about how everything was to remain confidential from the media, about accidental death on the job and also safety procedures of the lab. She put the pen down, smiling now being a member of the Las Vegas Crime Lab officially.

"Are you going to take a pint of my blood too?" Sara smirked.

"I don't think that's necessary this time Sara. I don't have an experiment to use it with at the moment." Grissom replied as he smiled back.

- The Break room -

Grissom pushed open the door to the break room seeing Catherine and Sara sitting at the table talking with one another as if they were the best of friends. He watched their body language, wondering if Sara had told her the good news or not just yet. He guess by the broad smiles on their faces that she had been told that Sara was now joining them. Grissom shook his head to free those thoughts for a moment and concentrated on the task at hand, another full plate for the graveyard shift.

"Okay listen up team, we have a busy night a head of us," Grissom announced to the room as all eyes fell on him. " Nick, you and Warrick have a suspicious death at Treasure Island, it looks like someone was murdered when the ship used for the show they put on three times a week. Cat, you and I have a hit and run out in Summer land" He stated handing her the slip of paper.

"Keeping Catherine all to yourself are you now Griss?" Nick said as he nudged Warrick in the shoulder, seeing if they could get a rise out of him.

"I need the best on this and Catherine's the best," Grissom replied meeting her eyes and smiling, hoping that she would return one and instead she avoided his eyes. "Finally, Sara Sidle, who was here to help with the Holly Gribbs case has now been hired by the Crime Lab as Holly's replacement. Please, give her a warm welcome, and to start you off Sara you have a floater out in Lake Mead to attend too."

"Awesome, I love the gruesome ones." Sara replied as she snatched the sheet and winked at Catherine her adverted her eyes and tried to not blush.

"Alright, let's get to it."

As everyone vacated the room Sara caught up with Catherine who was heading to the locker room to grab her field kit. She grabbed her arm, almost startling her as Catherine turned around thinking it was one of the guys. She smiled when she saw that it was Sara and was even happier with the excitement that was in her eyes from becoming their newest team member.

"Hey Sara, did you miss me already?" Catherine replied with a smirk as she grabbed her kit and slammed her locker shut.

"You need to lighten up on Grissom. He did us a favour." Sara replied resting her hands on her hip.

Catherine sighed, "Listen, I'll try, but I can't make any guarantees. My house after shift?"

"Thank-you, and yes but I'll talk to you later, I've got a floater to go take care of," Sara quickly took a look around seeing they were alone and pecked Catherine on the cheek. "I love you." She whispered in her ear and disappeared before Catherine was able to respond.

Neither of the women had noticed that Greg was slinking around the corner, he had caught them talking when he was leaving the bathroom and decided to listen instead of try and hit on Sara one more time. He now knew that it wasn't Grissom who was in the shower with Catherine it was Sara. Greg was thinking about paging Nick and Warrick and telling them the new develop but decided not to. He would play this one out to the very end, and let everything unfold naturally...or at least, in his favour.

* * *

T.B.C


	12. Chapter 12

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

- **Catherine P.O.V.** -

Catherine sat in silence beside her boss as they decided to take only one Tahoe to the scene. Catherine gritted her teeth at the suggestion from Grissom, remembering what she had promised Sara before leaving the locker room. She promised that she would try to work things out with Grissom, I mean after all Sara did get the job and was going to be able to stay with them, It was the lease she could do. Before everything happened surrounding Holly, Grissom was just another criminalist like herself, both of them CSI level 3's. They were under the supervision of Jim Brass, a long time friend of both of them. He was promoted to graveyard supervisor from Captain of the LVPD two years ago. He was once again demoted to Captain of the Homicide Division of the LVPD after Holly's death was spread across the lab like wildfire. Catherine saw her and Grissom as equals before, working side by side instead of one under the other. It wasn't jealously Catherine felt towards the situation for she did not want Grissom's job, being in charge of the number one lab in the country was not something to be taken very lightly. When she thought about it, her internal battle with Grissom was nothing more than child's play. It was stupid of her to let something so trivial destroy a fifteen year old friendship.

Both of them had gone through rough times together and Grissom was always there to pick up the pieces. First it was Eddie and her messy divorce. She never understood why she fathered a child with that maniac but she did and had to live with the consequences. She was just glad that he hit her and not their daughter. She would go over to his place late at night, sometimes leaving Lindsey sleeping in the backseat of the truck with fresh black eyes and fat lips. She would be in tears saying that tonight was the night she was going to leave and she never did. The straw that broke the camels back was when Catherine had caught him with a fellow stripper friend of his in their bed with their two-year old daughter napping across the hall. It was bad enough he didn't care about Catherine, but when he neglected his own daughter Catherine had, had enough of his bullshit. The divorce proceedings were still going on, almost two years after she filed.

Eddie wasn't the only black mark on her record. Certain cases, especially those involving children, made Catherine's skin crawl and blood boil. She would try to stay objective but sometimes it was just impossible for her to keep her emotions locked inside and that would get her into trouble more times then she could count on one hand. The only reason she still had a job was because of Grissom. He would cover for her all the time with Brass and the Sheriff. It wasn't just with cases, when she would have trouble with arranging times with Lindsey around Eddie and her sister he would cover for her when she was late to assignments and meetings, sometimes even court dates. Grissom never complained once, and did this out of the goodness of his heart and his loyalty to his friends. Now it was Holly and her coming out to Grissom about her relationship with Sara. Yes, she was not happy with how he addressed some of the questions at the diner, she had every right to be angry, but at the same time she was also not being very fair. Gil always was socially inept in comparison to her and the rest of the human race at times. He joked that she was his human side all the time to the gang and sometimes even victim's families when he came off as too callous and direct. She knew Gil was not only doing the right and smart thing in hiring Sara but he also wanted to help out a friend.

Catherine looked over at Grissom as they pulled up to their crime scene. The yellow tape was already strung across the road and flapping in the desert breeze. The night sky was caked in flashes of blue and red as their were police cruisers at each end, officers holding back a crowd of spectators that was beginning to form. Death was always going to be the cheapest show in Vegas. She reached out her hand, resting it on his arm for a moment to catch his attention as Gil looked her in the eyes in the darkened truck.

"Thank-you." She stated and smiled. He smiled back and that was that needed to be said for him to know they were on good terms once more.

- **Grissom's P.O.V.** -

The truck was silent, almost to the level of uncomfortable silence. Him and Catherine had never been in a vehicle this long without uttering a single word to each other. He could tell she was not thrilled with the idea of them sharing a truck to the get to the crime scene and was actually surprised when she eventually agreed. It only made logical sense for them to take one vehicle since they were both leaving from and going to the same place. Plus, he had hoped this would warm her up to talking with him now that Sara was hired at the Lab and everything else was kept under lock and key. That didn't seem to matter for the ride from the Lab to their Crime Scene, which took twenty minutes, there was silence between them.

Grissom did not want to be the one to first talk, he was afraid that his words would stumble upon one another or the message would get lost in translation. The last thing he needed was to make Catherine even more upset and pissed off at him. He hoped that Sara staying in Vegas would be the perfect peace-offering between two best friends. They had been through so much worse together, had stayed best friends and each others' steady rock throughout the worst of times. There was no reason to destroy a fifteen year old friendship over something as trivial as sexual orientation. They needed to talk this out, as adults in a private space where no one could escape and nothing could be overheard by wandering ears. Maybe once their shift was done he would ask Catherine over for a night-cap, if of course he does not become the second victim in this case.

It was not easy hearing that Catherine was into women. Especially when it came from her confused and very young daughter Lindsey instead of his best friend. They had confided in each other over other things, even personal antidotes of his own life, such as his mother being deaf. This of course was something huge and obviously lifestyle changing but the fact that she did not trust him enough to tell him ahead of time hurt his feelings. There had been many times over the past few years where Grissom had entertained the idea of asking Catherine out on a date, it was no secret that he had a sort of puppy love crush on her, but he was afraid to be rejected. Catherine was well out of his league, she was like an exotic beast, coming from a whole other world. She knew the street smarts of Vegas, was a stripper and married an apparent rock star. Why the hell would she ever even think for a moment she would want to be with someone like Grissom. For some reason or another they had become the best of friends, confiding in one another when everything around them seemed too complex and overwhelming. There were times where he knew Catherine would have made different and worse decisions if it wasn't for his guide hand and lecture of a voice.

Grissom could remember a time when Catherine was eight months pregnant, she had showed up on his doorstep in tears. There was a fresh bruise under her left eye and her wrists were raw and red from being grabbed forcefully. He knew that all of this was Eddie's doing, he hit Catherine more than he could hit a note in a song he sang. When Catherine told him that she was pregnant with Eddie's baby Grissom almost pushed her to do an abortion, to avoid anything in the future with this scum bag but she refused, saying he would change once the baby came. Sadly, it only got worse. There were times when he could see the sorrow in her eyes and the make up on her face to hide the bruises and cuts from everyone else at the lab. Eddie was her secret from everyone but Grissom, and he was still powerless to stop him. It had been years since he had seen Catherine's eyes fill with excitement and spark with love, until she met Sara and the truth came pouring out of her eight year old daughter's mouth.

He pulled up to the Crime Scene, shifting the vehicle into park and stared at the crime scene tap in front of him. Another dead body, another hit and run and another day at the office awaited them behind the yellow tape and flashing police lights. Grissom broke his eyes away from the scene when he felt Catherine's hand on his arm softly, almost fragile like. He looked into her eyes, seeing that the sorrow she once had for Eddie, for Holly was back when she said Thank-you. Then she smiled, her beautiful smile that always lit up a room as Grissom smiled back now realizing that this was her way of making amends, that everything was back to the way it used to be.

- **Present** -

Catherine and Gil climbed out of the Tahoe, slamming the doors shut behind them and rounding the vehicle to the trunk to get their field kits. Catherine smiled at Grissom as she reached for her's when he reached for his, retracting her hand as if she was a touching something hot. They didn't need to speak a word to each other, as their eyes and body language read exactly what was on their minds. They were back in sync and ready to go to work.

Grissom followed Catherine as they approached the crime scene tape, the officer on duty lifting the yellow tape to allow them to duck under it and enter their domain. Before they even approached the body both of them had the wheels in their minds spinning, piecing together what happened to this innocent and very young, woman. The body of a woman who looked to be no older than seventeen was sprawled out on the pavement like a doll with bendable limbs. Her left arm was up over her head, the bone from her elbow was sticking out through the skin. Her legs were twisted, her knee caps breaking the skin and blood was everywhere. Glass from the vehicle that hit her glinted in her blonde locks when Grissom ran his flashlight over her body. Her blue eyes were glazed over and staring up at the night sky but not able to take in anything, not anymore. She was dressed in a white tank top that was so drenched in blood that it looked like the blood was actually the fabric. The mini skirt she wore barely covered what needed to be and was plaid, almost like apart of a high school uniform. She looked like she was no older than someone in highschool. Her complexion was masked in a layer of makeup and dried blood from her wounds as her hair was matted in red clumps of blood that stained her golden locks. . Grissom looked at Catherine and could not help seeing the resemblance between the two women. It was almost as if he was staring at what Catherine looked like when she was in high school. He moved his flashlight down her legs with veins of blood pooled around them to notice that she was only where one red high heel. The other one must have flew off her foot when she was hit by the vehicle, most likely an SUV or Pick up truck based on her wounds. He stood from the prone position to notice that Catherine was over talking to Brass, as he went to go join them.

"What do we know?" He asked setting his Crime Scene kit down.

"She had a purse on her, with her wallet and ID. Names Heather Locke, she's eighteen years old, goes to St. Mary's High a few blocks away. There was cash in the wallet and she still has her phone with her so it wasn't a robbery. Looks like a standard hit and run." Brass commented handing Grissom the evidence bag with the phone and wallet in them.

Catherine pulled out her camera, her eyes threatening to well with tears. "Just a kid, what was she doing out here at this time at night alone." She whispered as she left the men and began to take photographs of the body.

Grissom shinned his flashlight on the evidence bag noticing how damaged her phone was, the screen cracked and probably not useable. Archie was going to have to work some magic to see when her last message or phone call was. "Maybe she was texting and didn't notice the vehicle and got it." Grissom theorized shaking his head at what the teenagers of today have turned into.

The camera flashed with every captured moment of their victim as Catherine worked her way around the body. Heather was young, she was beautiful and above all she was innocent. Whatever happened to her, the damage that was done to her beautiful body was something no one deserved. Catherine moved away from the body, not able to look at the woman's blue eyes any more, thinking that in a few years time this could be Lindsey, that something like this could happen to her daughter. Instead she shook her head, clearing her mind and move her camera to take pictures and marking the debris that was all around her. Broken shards of glass were scattered across the slick pavement like stars in the night sky. Each new piece she found she marked with a yellow pylon with a number on it to keep track of the evidence trail. Once Heather's body was back at autopsy Doc Robbins, the night shift coroner, would probably find some in her wounds and tousled in her hair. Carefully and slowly Catherine documented the scene, recreating what she believed happened in her mind with each new piece of evidence.

Grissom left Brass and walked back over to Catherine knowing little information about their victim and having a possible scenario about how she ended up human road kill. According to Brass, what he had been told by eye-witness reports a truck, possibly an SUV that was wither black or dark blue in colour was going at least double the speed limit and lost control taking the sharp corner a few hundred feet from where Heather's body finally landed. They could not tell if the girl was on her phone or not paying attention, many did not know what happened until they heard a scream and a thud. The car then squealed off in a panic leaving Heather on the road bleeding from her wounds. Grissom filled Catherine in on all of this as she finished taking the last of the shards of glass at the scene. In total there was thirty yellow markers strewn across the pavement.

A van came and parked beside Grissom's Tahoe as he looked up from the body and noticed David, Doc Robbins new assistant coroner and a couple of his men coming towards the body. "Hey Griss, Hey Catherine." David greeted as he approached the young woman both CSI's looking up and nodding to the young man.

David who was no older than twenty, was short in stature with brown hair and brown eyes smiled back, a bit nervous to be around people who were so experienced in the field. He was hired fresh out of Med school, entranced by death and fascinated with anatomy. He was a bit nervous and shy around others, but he knew his place and knew what needed to be done. David bent down beside the body, feeling her abdomen as a crunching sound could be heard. "Her ribs are broken." He stated as his hands moved to her skirt to check and see if she had anything on her. There was something attached to the inside hem of her skirt. David pulled it out and handed it over to Grissom."Looks like a locker key." He stated squinting under his thick rimmed glasses.

"The key probably links her to one of the strip clubs in town." Catherine announced nodding to the small silver key with orange plastic on the head, watching as Grissom placed it in an evidence bag.

"That will help track us down a bit more about why she was out here so late." Grissom stated nodding to David. "You can take her when you're ready David."

David nodded nervously and motioned for his men to come with the gurney and body bag getting ready to transport the young woman to Doc Robbins slab. Grissom brought his attention back to Catherine and the scene before them. "We need to find something that can identify the type of vehicle used in this hit and run. Is their anything distinctive with the glass shards you've been collecting?" He asked as he documented and photographed tire treads.

"Not yet, all of it has been headlight glass I'm assuming since it is polarized. Maybe at the lab we can pull a serial number when we piece it together." Catherine stated as she stood up, her knees aching from squatting so long.

"The driver appears to have hit the curb when they took the corner, got pain transfer and some tire treads over here." Grissom documented and took the evidence

"Good for us, bad for the driver." Catherine snapped off her gloves and walked over to Grissom. "You know, I never understood why people who commit these crimes get scared and just peel off. The evidence that is left is more telling than if they were here to confess."

"Catherine, if everyone confessed to every crime they did we would be out of a job." Grissom replied and smiled as Catherine smiled back. No matter how morbid that thought was. "It's human nature for people to get scared and bolt, but it's also human nature to keep to routines and not think about what you're doing. That is where we come in because the slightest misstep is the thing that usually the final nail in the coffin, so to speak."

Catherine rolled her eyes as she looked down and photographed another piece of potential evidence. "I have a cigarette butt," She announced changing the subject. She photographed and placed it in an evidence bag. "Maybe the killer was smoking when he hit her and the impact flew it out the window." She said as she made her initials on the bag.

"What makes you think it is a man?" Grissom said as he peered down at two plastic pieces on the ground that glittered. of something on the ground, He knelt and saw that it was two fake nails. He photographed and picked them up with his tweezers inspecting them closer, amazed at the lengths women go to beautify themselves. Catherine had come to join him at his side interested in seeing what he had stumbled across. "Are these from the victim?" He asked turning to look at her.

Catherine shook her head, "She wasn't wearing fake nails," she looked at the cigarette in her plastic evidence bag once more and noticed a pink smudge at the end of the filter. A woman had smoked this cigarette.

"I think, we are looking for a woman."

* * *

T.B.C


	13. Chapter 13

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

- On the other side of town -

Nick and Warrick cruised down the Las Vegas strip that was full of lift and excitement no matter what time of the day it was. The bright, florescent lights from the towering neon signs danced across the hood of Nick's Tahoe as they watched hundreds, if not thousands, of tourists walking the sidewalks. Some where hand in hand with their lovers, laughing in each others' ear and enjoying the warm, desert breeze. There were others, large groups of people that were obviously tourists all with their cameras ready with shock and aw in their eyes. Nick was stopped at a red light as he smiled, shaking his head softly as streetwalkers would approach the group knowing it was like shooting fish in a barrel. When the light turned green he followed the steady stream of traffic as the Treasure Island Hotel began to appear from around the corner. The tall sixty story building towered over the right side of the strip, being shaped like a trapezoid. Warrick looked out the passenger window as the lagoon that was lit up in the dark sky appeared to the right of the hotel. That was where the pirate show happened every night, two pirate ships battling one another three times a night on the Vegas strip. One of the few free shows for spectators and guests of the hotel to enjoy.

Nick turned off the strip and into the parking lot to TI, going around the VIP parking and to the back, where the back end of two police cruisers could be seen. He parked the Tahoe between them to make sure he did not block guests in the parking lot shutting off the engine. "I'm just saying Warrick, if it isn't Grissom, I mean who the hell do we have left that Catherine would even give the time of day too." Nick stated as he shut his door rounding to the back to get his field kit.

"I know what you're saying Nicky." Warrick replied shutting his door and joining his friend at the trunk. "I don't think I can recall a single time where Catherine had given another guy the time of day in the lab besides us, Greg and Grissom. I believe it is safe to rule the two of us out, but maybe one of them is lying."

"If that's the case, my money is on Greg. Plus, we never really _asked_ Grissom if he was with Cat, we just sorta implied it and well obviously he was not to open to sharing." Nick grabbed his silver case, Warrick doing the same before he slammed the trunk shut, locking the truck.

"When is Grissom ever in the mood to share."

The two men rounded the cop cars and approached the back entrance to the casino, their reason for being here hopefully being kept from the patrons of the hotel. The less eyes gawking them the better in this profession. When they stepped through the threshold they were greeted by Detective O'Riley, one of the homicide detectives that used to be Captain when Brass was promoted to head of CSI. Now that Brass was back to Captain of the Police Force, O'Riley once again was under him. He nodded at Nick and Warrick, the three of them working numerous cases together over the past few years. He was an older man, his hair was buzz cut and his belly hung over his suit pants like he was Santa Clause. His eyes were always almost squinted shut, and sometimes the things that came out of his mouth were hot tempered and condescending. He referred to the CSI's as the Nerd Squad more often then not and Warrick usually liked to press his buttons, get him fired up, watch his face get flushed when he gets mad or proven wrong.

"Warrick I heard about what happened with the Gribbs case. I'm glad everything worked out in your favour. I heard that sexy brunette they got to do the IA investigation was once cold hearted bitch when she wants to be." O'Riley stated as the men followed him through the whit washed hallway of the employee corridor, away from the tourists.

"Better watch what you say, she's working with us now." Nick stated and smiled watching the Detective almost die of a heart attack.

O'Riley cleared his throat, "Well, uh, I guess what I was saying is it would have been a shame to loose two nerds in one night." He nodded at the Deputy that was standing guard at the crime scene tape that was strung across the door frame. Warrick had noticed that this was the employee entrance to the pirate show.

"Thanks O'Riley." Warrick said slapping the older man on the shoulder. "Now, what do we got here?" He said, trying to change the subject. he could have edged the guy on, but decided not to with so many ears listening.

"DB is a thirty-five years old male named Arnold Pike. He worked as one of the pirates on this shower for the past five years. He was found in the bottom deck of the pirate ship that sinks every night. Today was his scheduled day off."

Nick entered the change room to see the rest of the cast was being interviewed by police still dressed in their pirate costumes, their make-up smudge and hair drenched from the lagoon water outside. He kept going further entering a smaller room that looked to be the staging area. In there was another officer, probably the first officer on scene as he directed with his flashlight where the victim was tied turned on his flashlight as Warrick came up beside him, doing the same as they entered what was left of the hull to the sunken pirate ship. The body of their victim was propped up against one of the large wooden poles that supported the upper deck to the ship. His head was drooped down towards his chest. His arms were pinned to his die by rope that looked to have been looped around his body at least five times and tied tight. He had no chance of escape.

Warrick went closer and noticed that he was not wearing any type of cloth or rope to gag him from screaming out. He was dressed in his pirate costume, proving that he did show up for work, or the killer at least made it appear he had shown up for his shift. Water was still dripping from his hair and his clothes were still soaked, the show must had ended not too long ago. Warrick moved his flashlight to his face and could see his skin was pale and beginning to turn a slight tinge of blue as rigor mortis was beginning to settle. Nick photographed the scene as Warrick walked around the boat, his boots squishing in the pools of water everywhere, checking for anything the killer may have left behind. It was obvious the man was tied up and the water could have potentially washed away any DNA evidence on the ropes that were used to bind him

"It looks drowning to me but we won't know more until we get the body back to the morgue and Doc Robbins does a full autopsy." Nick stated as he kept snapping pictures. Soon David would be arriving with the gurney to take him out of here.

Warrick was about to respond when he noticed something sticking out of the side of the hull, it looked metallic. He set his crime scene kit down and dug out a pair of tweezers. Nick noticed what Warrick had found something and went over, snapping pictures of what he had illuminated with his flashlight. Once Nick was down Warrick went about gingerly extracting the metal from the wood. When he finally had it free they both knew instantly what it was. A bullet, but not one that was traditional to modern day weapons, their victim had been shot as well as tied up.

"I'll be damned he was murdered, do you see a bullet hole in him at all?" Warrick asked as they shone their lights over the body to try and find it before David came to take him out of his ropes.

"Here it is," Nick announced as he saw the bullet hole right above the rope in his left shoulder blade. Since he was wearing a black top the blood was disguised and not noticeable right at first. Upon closer inspection the burnt fabric with GSR or gun shot residue was evident.

"A musket ball, is what this looks like." Warrick stated as he sealed the bullet in a plastic evidence bag. "Fits with everything else for the show, these men must have muskets that they use as a prop."

"Sounds like someone decided to actually load this one with gun powder and shoot our victim, using the sinking of the ship in the show as a cover up." Nick speculated.

"Well the water would have washed away all trace evidence such as hair, prints, blood, the only thing we can do is collect all of the muskets used and hope there is something hiding in the rope that was used to bind him."

"The one with real gunpowder is the one we are looking for, we need to see who had grudge against Mr. Pike " Warrick said as he snapped off his gloves.

* * *

T.B.C


	14. Chapter 14

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

- Later that evening -

Catherine and Grissom had returned from their crime scene. There evidence was already sent to the designated lab rats, awaiting DNA from the cigarette butt they found and to see if the they had a year, make and model of the vehicle that hit their victim. The body was already downstairs with Doc Robbins, his morgue was busy with bodies this evening, thankfully Sara's floater had not yet arrived which was sure to stink up the whole lab for days, possibly even a week. Grissom had went with the body, loving the autopsy and being his "Gruesome Grissom" self once more. Catherine normally would have joined him but she decided to opt out of this autopsy, the victim looking too much like Lindsey and went to the break room after delivering the evidence.

For the time being Catherine decided to take some time for herself, something she usually does not have the ability to do so often, especially at work. She was sitting on the brown, leather couch that had seen better days. The same couch in which she confessed to Sara she was into women and Sara surprised her by replying that she was too. A fashion magazine was propped open on the small coffee table in front of her, usually she was interested in the latest trends and the most expensive shoes or purse in the magazine but not today. Today her mind was on one thing and one thing only; Sara. She was thinking about how beautiful she would look in this vibrant red dresses or dark blue hues, bringing out her glossy, brunette hair and almond eyes. She was skimming through the pages, her mind off in her fantasy land as her hands were just going through the motions.

Catherine glanced up at the clock on the side wall and saw that it was only eleven in the evening. This particular shift seemed to be dragging, and for no particular reason. Grissom and her's scene was pretty straightforward, once they got the serial number from the broken headlight to track down the owner of the vehicle, they would just need a DNA sample, match it to the cigarette filter and ta-da, they had their suspect. If the suspect was in the system already that would make Greg's job a hell of a lot easier and this case could be put to bed sooner then she thought. It was all up to the lab guys and of course whatever Doc Robbins was able to discover on their victim down in autopsy. It had been quite along time since she had, had such a cut and dry case. The perpetrators were getting smarter, but not smart enough to outwit the CSI's.

A low, sullen vibration began to hit against Catherine's hip as she un-clipped her phone from it's holster wondering if one of the lab guys had already came through. She smiled seeing that it was Lindsey, knowing that she was probably calling to wish her mom good night, like she did almost every other night. She wanted to bring up how disappointed and betrayed she felt by her daughter confiding in Grissom about her and Sara's relationship but Nick and Warrick had decided to walk into the break room and would overhear her conversation.

"Hey Linds," Catherine said sweetly as she looked up and smiled at the guys heading to counter to pour themselves cups of coffee.

"Hey mom, I just thought I would call you before I go to bed." Lindsey replied, her perky tone was enveloped in exhaustion. "Are you going to be home in the morning?" She asked followed by a yawn.

"I don't know Linds, probably, I don't foresee any overtime in the near future on this case. If I'm not then I will be when you get home from school."

"Will Sara be with you? I have a question I want to ask her, but I didn't get a chance too yesterday before she left."

Catherine hesitated for a moment before she answered watching Nick and Warrick sit down at the dining room table in the middle of the break room. She hoped she did not look too obvious with her fingers tapping on the coffee table, afraid that the men had super sonic hearing and were able to hear everything Lindsey had just said. "I'm not sure, I'll have to ask her. Maybe I'll invite Sara over for supper, and you can cook her something." She finally responded hoping the casual drop of Sara's name would be construed as friendship instead of love.

"Sounds great! Goodnight mom, I love you and see you tomorrow," Lindsey said, the perkiness back in her voice.

"Night Linds, I love you and sweet dreams." Catherine then hung up seeing that Nick and Warrick had their eyes trained on her. She smiled nervously, breaking her gaze from theirs and silently prayed they would not go fishing where they were not allowed. "Did the conversation I had with my daughter intrigue the two of you?" She asked, hoping that her voice was not as shaky as it sounded in her mind.

_Keep it together Willows_ Catherine screamed in her head, getting up off the couch and moving towards the counter. She could feel Warrick and Nick's eyes burning into her back. "Is something up with the two of you?" She questioned grabbing and apple out of the basked and biting into it, keeping her back to the men as she tried to get her confidence back.

Nick cleared his throat, lightly nudging Warrick to do the same with his foot into his leg under the table. A move he hoped Catherine did not notice, but it was too late." Ah, No, nothing. Sorry Cath, it's just been a long shift." Nick muttered.

"I see. Is there something intriguing in your case that you may need, let's say, woman's intuition to decipher?"

Warrick smiled, watching Catherine chomp down on her apple, "You know us Cath, when it comes to women, we are the experts," He replied with a wink as Catherine rolled her eyes. "What you don't believe me?" he asked; hurt that she did not think higher of her co-workers.

"Well," Catherine stopped and approached the table, a smile on her lips. "I do remember this one time, I mean I wasn't there, but I was told about it."

"About what?" Nick asked beginning to squirm in his seat as Catherine came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder lightly.

"Oh, when you apparently went to a bar and tried to pick up a beautiful young woman. A woman dressed in a sexy red dress, gorgeous curly blonde hair, and a sweet smile. When you were able to convince this little fox to go home with you you realized she actually was equipped with had a hotdog instead of a bun." Catherine bit her apple once more, letting her hand fall from his shoulder knowing she had them right where she wanted them. "Now that, is what I call an 'expert'," she finished and sauntered out of the break room, a smile on her lips.

Nick stared at Warrick, amazed Catherine could recite the details of that whole incident, an incident he told his best friend in confidence and wished to never, ever, have to hear once again. Especially from the lips of Catherine Willows. It happened over two years ago and was the most embarrassing moment of his dating career. He glared at Warrick, his facial expression was one of shock and awe. Warrick, who swore he would never tell anyone about that incident as long as he walked the earth, shook his head no, knowing what Nick was insinuating. Somehow, Catherine got a hold of that juicy blackmail information and was willing use it at any given point. At least she didn't say it with the new girl within ear shot, he still hopes to have a shot at dating her.

"I thought you didn't tell anyone man." Nick accused, shoving his friend in the shoulder as they stood from the table, their break over with.

"I didn't man! Honest! That woman has moles on the inside. Damn, she's good." Warrick replied sipping his coffee as they headed back to the ballistics lab.

- Meanwhile -

Catherine wasn't really sure where she was heading. All she knew for sure was that she wanted to be as far away as possible from Nick and Warrick for the time being. She was able to dodge the bullet with Lindsey's phone call by using her one piece of juicy information she had that would get both their minds off of her for once, but that was it. If she was cornered again, she would have to lie, and lying was not her strong suit. With her mind wandering to other places and Grissom still preoccupied with Doc Robbins she wanted to go and get some fresh air. Catherine did not even see Sara who was coming down the hallway in the other direction until she almost hit her dead on. Sara, who had her eyes adverted to the lab report in her hand. When they collided the report went falling to the floor, papers scattering all across the newly buffered tiles. Catherine bent down to help her colleagues, thinking it was one of the lab techs she had stumbled across. That was until she knelt down and noticed the brown eyes of Sara staring back at her. She smiled, handing her the report, her hand resting on Sara's a for moment longer, feeling the surge of energy flowing between them in that moment. .

"Sara, sorry I-I didn't see you there. Are you alright?" Catherine asked, with a smile, her eyes cast down at the floor.

"It's alright Catherine. I think it was my fault anyways, I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking. Sometimes my mind get's lost with the evidence." Sara replied as she grabbed Catherine's arm for support as she stood. "How is your and Grissom's case going? I hear you're on the look out for a woman driver," She asked, turning to walk with Catherine instead of heading to where she was originally going.

"Yeah, our suspect is not helping the whole stereotype of woman drivers." Sara couldn't help but giggle as Catherine smiled, loving the joyful sounds that emitted from Sara's mouth every time she spoke a word. "I was just heading outside for some fresh air, did you want to join me?" She asked, wanting to hold her hand, but knew not to here at the lab, not with people watching you through glass walls as if you were an experiment.

"I'd love too, fresh air is exactly what I need after fishing with David out at Lake Mead for three hours." Sara replied referring to her floater that was now down in autopsy awaiting to be looked at by the next available coroner.

The women walked past Judy at the front entrance, both of them waving a hello as they walked out into the cool desert air. Catherine lead Sara around the corner to to the side of the building, giving them some privacy for the moment. Once they rounded the corner Catherine slammed Sara against the concrete wall, holding her wrists above her head and kissing her deeply, feeling the young brunette moan and give in to her lover's desire. Sara responded with tongue as she licked it across Catherine's lips and bucking her hips against Catherine, wishing they could do more than just kiss at the moment.

"Catherine...wait, please you have to stop." Sara moaned in between kisses, her eyes rolling back as Catherine nipped at her neck and her hands roamed over her chest, down towards her hips.

"God, you are so beautiful." Catherine muttered as she kept going, never wanting to let go of this moment.

"Catherine...we'll get caught, remember what Grissom said? We need to act professional at work."

Catherine stopped and looked into Sara's brown eyes, she knew the young brunette was right, they needed to act professional if they wanted to stay working together on the same shift and keep up the charade of them not being an item. She pouted but released her grip on Sara's wrists, stepping back from her to allow her to move from the wall. "Lindsey wants you to come over tomorrow, would you be able too?" She asked feeling defeated in every way possible.

Sara smiled, cupping Catherine's cheek to make her stare at her with her blue eyes. The shadows of the nearby street lights cast an eerie glow upon her face as Sara kissed her once more, lingering her lips upon Catherine's for a few extra seconds. "Of course, I love you Catherine, but I need to get back to work." She kissed her once more before rounding the corner walking back towards the front entrance.

"I love you too." Catherine stated as she followed behind. She brought her fingers to her bottom lip, smiling with memories of Sara's gentle touch.

* * *

T.B.C


	15. Chapter 15

**Author Note: **This is my first attempt at a fem slash and I hope to not disappoint. If there are some people with some ideas out there, or opinions I am always open to suggestions and I do take constructive criticism as long as it is actually helpful. Anyways as you have probably already figured out its a story between Catherine and Sara...

This could have happened in the first season if they let it...but I don't think the show would have lasted on the air if they took it to the lengths I am about too. Oh! there is also a bit of a spoiler to the first episode "Pilot". I'm sure whoever reads it already knows, but I want to give fair warning just encase!

ENJOY and please review! THNX!

**BoOkWoRm-GuRl**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

- Following Morning -

Catherine and Grissom were sitting in his office, their case laid out before them, each of the pieces to their puzzle beginning to fit together perfectly. They had been cooped up in this office since Grissom had returned with the findings of their victims autopsy report. Their victim had engaged in a struggle before they were hit by the car, she had fresh scratches on her neck, most likely from the fake nails that were found at the scene since the victim herself wasn't wearing any. The rest of her injuries were sustained by the vehicle, blunt force trauma to her skull was what killed her, most likely when her head bounced off the pavement like a basketball upon impact. None of the eye witnesses described a struggle, so they believed this happened inside the vehicle before the victim got out of the vehicle and then was hit by the driver.

That whole theory seemed plausible until Greg ran the DNA. The DNA that was found on the fake nails belonged to the victim and an unidentified female, however the unidentified female was not the same as the one who smoked the cigarette. They were looking for a third woman, and this is what Catherine and Grissom had been toying over for the past three hours, how the scenario could have played out. They were still awaiting the trace lab to piece together the broken headlight to run the serial number and at least have one suspect to speak with and get a DNA sample from.

"We cannot rely on eye witnesses." Catherine stated as she tossed her folder on the pile of others, rubbing her sore temples. "There had to of been an argument somewhere around there." She sighed.

"We never rely on the human memory Catherine, but you are right something had to of happened but there is no evidence besides the fingernails that place a third suspect at the scene." Grissom replied exhausted and tired of going around in circles.

"What about surveillance? One of those businesses must have security cameras."

"I thought about that awhile ago and called Brass to get the tapes. Apparently three of the four business have dummy camera's facing the outside and working ones on the interior. The other business, the Beauty parlor across the street from where the victim was hit, there security camera's have been down for repairs for a week. There is nothing on tape."

"Red light traffic camera?" Catherine stated, now grasping at straws.

She knew that part of town was only equipped with those every few blocks, no one quite cared about the people in the Alphabet districts. It was called the Alphabet district for each street began with a different letter and was usually home to gangs, drug dealers and prostitutes. The people Vegas tried to sweep under the rug even though they are the ones that define this city.

Grissom was about to respond when there was a knock on his door as Nick poked his head into the office, a smile on his face that tried to hide the tiredness in his sunken eyes. "Hey guys, sorry to interrupt." He stated and looked at Catherine, " Lindsey is in the break room looking for you Cath. Sara said I could probably find you in Grissom's office,"

"Lindsey's here?" Catherine asked as she got up out of her chair. "Did she say why?" She asked looking down at her watch, it was eight o'clock in the morning. She should be with her sister and on her way to school.

Nick shook his head as Grissom and Catherine followed him down the hall to the break room, "No, she said your sister dropped her off, she had some Yoga class to go too and she wanted to talk to you before heading off to school."

Grissom grabbed Catherine's hand and pulled her back stopping her as Nick turned back, eying the unusual interaction. "Tell Lindsey we'll be right there." Grissom said to Nick as he nodded and continued down the hallway. He looked up and down to make sure no one would overhear and brought Catherine to the side, seeing the confusion on her eyes. "Do you think this has something to do with you and Sara?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"She told me earlier she wanted to ask Sara a question, but she was going to wait until we were done shift, when she was after school." Catherine replied.

"Well, maybe this question couldn't wait."

Catherine sighed, trying to hide her trembling fingers from Grissom, hoping that her daughter was not here to cause more trouble then she already has in regards to her and Sara's new found relationship. "Griss, if-"

Grissom smiled, "Don't think the worst yet Cat. I promise you, everything will be fine." He said, squeezing her hand before the continued back down the hall.

"You do know what 'fine' stands for right?"

"N-no,"

"Freaked-out, insecure, neurotic and emotional." Catherine replied and took a deep breath as the break room came into view, "It's exactly how I've been feeling since our breakfast outing yesterday." She could see Lindsey sitting at the table with Sara, looking like she was getting some help on her homework and that put a smile to her face. She then noticed Nick and Warrick were off in the corner, speaking amongst one another as if they were conspiring something. "Do you know what is going on with the guys? They seem to be in their own little world," Catherine commented changing the subject.

"I don't know what those two are up to; they remind me of the cartoon characters P_inky and the Brain_, always conspiring with one another about something to do during the shift." Grissom replied.

"Yeah, except they are two pinkies missing a brain."

Catherine pushed open the door to the break room with Gil right on his heels, a large smile on his face from Catherine's last comment, stifling a laugh. She did have a point; sometimes Grissom wonders how those two ever made it through college but they had been on better behaviour since the whole fiasco with Holly, so he couldn't nag on them too much. He went and sat down on the couch, watching the scene unfold in front of him as Catherine approached her daughter and Sara, who was helping her with what appeared to be long division. Another skill a child learns in school and never applies it in the real world.

"Hey Lindsey, aren't you supposed to be on your way to school?" Catherine asked hugging her daughter from behind. She looked over her shoulder and saw the homework that was out in front of her "Long division huh? That stuff is always hard, I hope Sara's a good tutor." She kissed Lindsey's head as her eyes shifted to Sara seeing the smile on her lips.

"She's the best! I know, I know don't get mad at Aunt Jane, I asked her to drop me here since I needed to get this done before school. I know we said this evening for me to talk to Aunt Sara, but this was what I wanted to ask her help with." Lindsey replied as she frowned at Catherine. "I hope I didn't get anyone in trouble."

"No, not at all Lindsey. I'm happy to help." Sara replied with a smile.

"Aunt Sara?" Catherine questioned, forgetting everything else her daughter said. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the break room move towards the women at the table.

"Yeah, I thought since you two are dating and in love and stuff that I could call her Aunt Sara," Lindsey said looking up from her math homework and moving her eyes from her mom to Sara, "I mean if that's okay?" The whole break room went into an eerie silence, no one knew how to respond to that question. "Did I say something wrong?" She asked, looking from one person to another, not understanding what was going on.

Grissom could see the colour drain from Catherine's face and he was about to get up off the couch and intervene but he was paralyzed, his anti social behaviour kicking in, afraid that he would say something to make everything worse. He looked to Sara, hoping that she would be able to save this situation before all hell broke loose, the guys asking questions and Lindsey running her mouth more than she already was.

"Uh, no sweetie you didn't." She replied in shock as she put her hand on Lindsey's for reassurance. "You can call me Aunt Sara all you want,"

Lindsey smiled back, "Thanks! I wanted your help with this and to ask you that before it was too late. I just wasn't sure if you were going to spend the night again or not."

Catherine snapped out of her trance at the last statement her daughter blurted out. "Uh, Lindsey, why don't you go with Grissom to his office. I bet he has some cool new bugs that you can take a look at, maybe talk about the science fair." Catherine said eying Grissom, as he stood up knowing his cue to leave.

"Oh cool bugs! I'd love to see them Mr. Grissom, and yeah you can help me plan for the science fair, after all you did promise me you'd help" Lindsey stated getting out of her chair and taking Grissom's hand, she looked up at him, her blue eyes full of wonder and smile on her lips. "Did you find a name for that pig you have in that jar yet?" She asked as they left the room heading back to his office.

Catherine stared at Sara, seeing that she had gone as white as a sheet as well, neither of them expecting that to take place in front of everyone. Thankfully Ecklie was not in the break room or that would have been the end of their office romance. She waited until her daughter and Grissom were out of sight before she left out a large sigh. Catherine was on the verge of tears, but refused to let herself break down in front of everyone, if was bad enough they knew about their secret relationship, the last thing she needed was to have everyone call her a cry baby too. She could not believe Lindsey had came to work and just announced to the whole graveyard shift that she and Sara were involved with one another, let alone sleeping together and have already. She knew that her daughter did not mean to make a scene but she had no idea the can of worms she had just popped open, as if it were a bomb going off.

Sara rested her hand on Catherine's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, telling her that she was not alone in this, hoping that would make everything better. Catherine lifted her eyes from the table and met Sara's, seeing that she was not going anywhere and was going to face this with her. She did not want to make this into a bigger scene then it already was, and she did not want to become the enemy. Catherine smiled grasping Sara's hand that was on her shoulder and squeezing it tightly.

"Okay guys," Catherine huffed as she looked up at Nick and Warrick still standing at the counter. "Lets have it, I know you must be itching to say something," She whispered, eying that Greg had now also entered the room.

"I-I don't know what to say." Nick muttered setting his coffee mug down before he dropped it on the floor in shock. "I mean you and Sara. I-I had no idea that you liked women, I always thought you liked men, you were an exotic dancer, married and have Lindsey. I-I would have never guessed," Nick said speechless and he looked to Warrick to see if he would say anything different.

"Cath, why didn't you tell us?" Warrick asked, feeling hurt that he wasn't confided in.

"I didn't want this to become gossip around the water cooler here at the lab. My personal life I wanted to remain personal." Catherine replied and looked to Sara. "I-I know that Sara feels the same way, and I don't want to speak for her, but this, this was not what either of us wanted." She stated as Sara nodded agreeing.

"I can understand that. I don't mean to go out of bounds or anything but, the other day when we saw you in the shower room Nick and I saw two pairs of clothes on the floor. At first we thought it was Greg, but he denied it, so then we thought it was Grissom, and now, I'm guessing it was you Sara?" Warrick said looking from woman to woman, their faces flaring red with embarrassment.

"Yes, that was us." Sara whispered, looking away from Nick and Warrick.

The break room fell into a hushed silence for a moment as Catherine began to giggle and smile, Sara beginning to join in as the guys were looking at them, confusion on their faces. "What's so funny?" Greg asked.

"You thought me and Greg were together and then me and Grissom? Wow, have you guys got balls." Catherine stated between giggles.

The guys looked as if they were all about to turn beat red from embarrassment, Greg being the worst, feeling like he was not only being made fun of but also put through the ringer. He was rejected by the only two females on the graveyard shift and the reason being they would rather be with each other then with one of the guys. Go figure.

"So you don't find it weird or awkward that Catherine and I are dating then?" Sara asked, getting the elephant out of the room before he suffocated them all.

Nick and Warrick looked at one another and shrugged their shoulders, Greg was still sulking in the corner, feeling rejected. Bottom line was that they did not care about their co-workers sexual orientation. Everyone was entitled to find love and happiness in their own way, which ever way that might be. They would never jeopardize working with two beautiful women just because they will never get in their pants, which from Grissom's perspective on things is probably the best course of action if he wants to keep his team together.

"We're more depressed we will never have a chance with either of you," Nick stated with a smile, hoping to break the ice. He then went over to the couch hugging Catherine from the side as he looked at both of them. "We love you no matter what Cath, you should know that by now, and you're both happy, both great at what you do and both valuable to this team." He whispered kissing the top of her head and nodding to Sara.

"Thank-you," Sara replied and dabbed her eyes before she began to cry. It was the first time she had ever came clean about her sexual orientation in the work place and she was glad she choose this group to come clean too above all. She looked at Warrick who came and sat beside her on the other side of the couch, the hesitation he had to working with her after she put him in the hot seat with the IA investigation seemed to have disappeared with Catherine's affections being made public knowledge. If she was good enough for Catherine, she was good enough for the rest of them. "Would someone like to tell Cat and I who won the bet?" She said with a smile.

"How the hell did you know about that?" Warrick asked bewildered.

"Oh you know, I have moles on the inside," Catherine replied and giggled.

"I think to be honest, we all lost." Nick replied looking from Warrick to Greg.

"Not so fast Stokes. I believe I won." Greg replied with a smile, doing a small victory dance over by the counter.

"What do you mean you _believe_ you've won?" Warrick questioned, raising his eyebrow in skepticism.

Greg pulled out his cell phone sifting through the pictures he had saved on it and tossed it to Warrick, "Read it and weep boys!" Nick shifted over to see the picture of Sara kissing Catherine's cheek outside in the parking lot. He looked at the time stamp on the picture and it was yesterday after they made the bet, the little weasel had won.

"Damn, Alright Sanders, you win." Warrick said snapping the phone shut and tossing it back to Greg.

"What exactly does he win?" Sara asked intrigued at the little office bet that was happening around them. She could get used to a place like this.

"Fifty bucks and breakfast for a week."

"I have a counter offer." Catherine piped up as everyone turned to look at her.

"And what would that be?" Greg asked, intrigued by this amazing turn of events.

"I won't tell Grissom about your camera phone that you have, that you're not supposed to have in the lab, saving you your job if you give Sara and I each fifty bucks." Catherine replied with a smile.

Greg looked at the older blonde knowing full well that she meant business and there was no way she was bluffing. Greg sighed as he extended his hand, shaking on the deal as Catherine returned it grasping the young man's hand, pulling him in close enough that she was able to whisper into his ear, "I want that picture deleted from that phone or your ass is mine Sanders." She threatened letting go of the young man's hand as he stumbled back, almost loosing his footing.

Quickly he pulled out his phone and went and deleted the picture, looking back up at Catherine, the nerves showing in his trembling lips, "Consider it done."

Catherine and Sara had left the break room shortly after becoming fifty bucks richer each running into Grissom and Lindsey leaving his office the little girl full of smiles and Grissom looking like he was on the verge of a migraine.

"Come on Linds, let's get you to school." Catherine said looking up at Grissom giving him a silent thank-you for everything he has done thus far.

"Mom, can we watch a movie when I get home from school?" Lindsey asked grabbing her mom's hand.

"Sure, anything you want kiddo."

"Anything? So you mean, we can watch a movie about bugs?" Lindsey inquired with a giggle as Catherine rolled her eyes, Grissom had successfully brainwashed her into being his prodigy child.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so, I mean if you want to."

"Okay, is Aunt Sara going to be watching the movie too?"

"Only if it's not about bugs," Sara replied with a smile, looking at Lindsey seeing that she was trying to figure out a way out of this deal, but quickly gave up.

"Hmm, okay, deal. I still need your help with my math homework, I'm stuck on a few questions, if that's okay." Lindsey replied.

"I'll help you before we watch a movie. Let's go get your stuff in the break room and your mom will meet us at the truck." Sara said taking Lindsey's hand and heading back down the hall towards the front entrance that was now basking in the desert sun instead of the dark night sky.

"Thank-you Mr. Grissom, next time I'll think of a name of Miss Piggy!" Lindsey called.

"I think you just named her Linds." Grissom replied and turned to Catherine, "So, how did it go?" He asked seeing the smile and tears that wanted to fall from the corner of her eyes.

"Better then expected. The guys are bummed they will never get a chance with either of us and Sara and I came out fifty bucks richer each." Catherine replied with a smile.

"I don't even want to know what was all discussed in the break room."

"Probably is better that way." Catherine stated as she readjusted her purse on her shoulder. "How was Lindsey?" She asked, knowing it was asking a lot for Grissom to take her at a moment's notice and entertain a ten year old girl, not exactly the perfect scenario of a anti social, middle aged man obsessed with bugs.

"Well Cath, I think we can safely say your daughter is still a kid." Grissom said walking back into his office, heading over to his desk and beginning to pick up the open case files that were scattered across his desk.

"Why do you say that?" Catherine asked leaning against the door frame, resting her eyes and finally realizing just how tired she really was.

"Because her mission is still to embarrass the hell out of her mother," Grissom stated as they both laughed.

* * *

Fin.


End file.
